Waiting on a Dream
by That-Cheeky-Bat
Summary: All E. Aster Bunnymund wants to do is open a flower shop, but what he's failed to realize is that after 400 years of self induced solitude he has to start from scratch. Add into that Jack Frost, who is the lead singer of a band, and the fact that Aster is the last of his species in a Supernatural curious world and one has a cause for problems. Jack/Bunny
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Rise of the Guardians, yadda, yadda, yadda...

**A/N: **Oct 2nd was my birthday! Hurray me, but now I'm well into the drinking and ready to make some awful decisions with this story! This is not, in any sense of the word, Beta read-any mistakes are my own and I apologize profusely for them. I might get around to fixing them, might not.

Side note: This is also dedicated to **Lonearcticwolf09** who pressed me to put this out...Honey, I am SO sorry if this wasn't what you expected. I wanted to fiddle with the whole Pooka, Easter Bunny, not getting paid perspective of Bunny's work...thus the job...and my almost choking of my food when I had thought of it AT the very restaurant this story takes place in from laughing when I realized this. I am not a clever person...

**also**: SHAMELESS PLUG-Go read my story Manny's Moonlight and review it please! I wanted to release another chapter for that tonight but editor didn't deliver so have this instead...you know the warm up, back burner, story I've been working on since early July. You can leave reviews for this one too if you want, but I don't know when or if I'll even continue it.

Shut it, I have alcohol in my system and its still sorta my birthday so...enjoy?

Credit where it's due: I borrowed some things from Lonearcticwolf09 (Aster's more Human-ish looks when it comes to ears and tail and I also borrowed the idea of the 'Groundhog' from her as well...Hope you don't mind :] )

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Chapter 1: Meet the Bane of Existence

Aster gulped…audibly. He hadn't known when he first sent in the resume and application that he would, in fact, be hired by the place. It had been a _joke_! His friend Toothiana, or Tooth as she preferred, had found a way of getting into his craw and had teased him mercilessly about applying and when he'd had enough he finally filled out an application—then got hired…fuck him, right?

Aster was now going on five years of working at the place and he could say every night was the _worst_ thing in his _long _existence—and he had been through _a lot_. In all honesty he hadn't expected to really resurface again since his entire species of Supernatural Sprites had been wiped off the face of the planet thanks to a spiteful, evil, being that had overshadowed one of the few Humans who had walked the world at the same time as his kind had. Essentially, Aster had found himself feeling all _too _lonely in his Warren that was warded off from intruders and held remnants of his species that he had personally spent the past four hundred years gathering after climbing from a deep depression. Of course he had been drawn from the Warren when he felt something trying to breach the Warren's wards and he had found himself face to face with the very man who had been overshadowed and had destroyed his entire species.

Sure, he _should _have been furious with the bloke. _Should _have gutted him like a Cornish game hen. But, after four hundred years of self induced solitude Aster had found himself doing something he didn't think was in his temperament. He accepted the man's genuine apology, especially because the man hadn't even been in control of his own body at the time, and then Aster found himself out in the strange new world that the Humans and Supernaturals had established together. He marveled at the two separate, yet equal, beings interacting and it was then that he decided that maybe, just maybe, he should venture out into _this _world. He was still alone, seeing as he was the last of his species, but he had a good cluster of friendsthat popped in and out of his life every so often—hell one of them was currently letting him 'rent' a room in her large boardinghouse if he helped repair it.

However, Aster had a goal that he wanted to achieve for the first time in a hundred years. The only annoying part of that goal would be keeping his Pooka form hidden from the world that wanted to know about his species. Word had spread that there was still one last 'Pooka' in the world—and Easter hadn't helped with that realization—when he had been seen in his original form by a lucky bloke with a camera facing the right direction. Since he didn't want the attention that went hand in hand with being the _last _of his kind—hence the spell that he was under to look like one of the many Haremen of the world. They essentially came from the same region of the Universe as Aster's species had with only slight differences.

One: Haremen didn't have an anthromorphic rabbit-man shape like Aster did. Two: They resembled Humans in a lot of ways with the only difference being the half a foot long rabbit ears on the crown of their heads. Three: Aster, if standing next to one, _barely _looked different than them. In fact a lot of people just shrugged off his longer and wider ears, and the fact that there was essentially no fat on his form compared to the more 'tamed' Haremen counterparts.

Anyways, his goal was fairly simple. Get money and then open a flower shop that had the option of expanding into a confectionary store. He was saving up _every_ penny he got from tips at the steakhouse and shoving it in the bank so that when he finally got his BA in business he could finally start his own little flower shop in town, and when that finally started he would eventually begin to integrate his favored chocolate confectionaries that he made as a hobby. That was the plan…it was just moving at a snail's pace.

Aster sighed, reaching his hands up as he did so to tighten the crimson tie around his throat and looking all the more wary as he approached the building. It was nearing time to immerse himself into the fray—or better yet his own personal _hell_. The only good part about this job? The steakhouse neared the wooded area of the City and he didn't have to waste his time on transportation. A quick tapping of his foot, or in his other form hind leg, on the soil of the Earth and a tunnel appeared that lead to wherever he had wanted to go when he had summoned it. A quick jaunt through the tunnel, a strong jump and then boom, he was at his destination and didn't have to spend fifty dollars on gas a week. As it was he had just emerged from said tunnel and he immediately stepped towards the two adjoining apartment buildings, walking through the alley between them. When he reached the edge of the building his eyes skimmed the parking lot briefly before he stepped out from the alley to get to the crosswalk at the end of the street.

The bad thing, right at the crosswalk that he needed to get too was a pack of Haremen. All of them were a good two heads below him in height and had more rounded features than his sharp and angular ones. However years of solitude made it easy for him to learn to ignore other beings, and he stepped up next to them. He stepped up to the cross walk and ignored the pack of, give or take five, Haremen, male and female, next to him as they gaped up at his longer, wider in the middle, rabbit ears that adorned the crown of his head. He began to feel self conscious as they each blinked up at him, their ears half a foot shorter than his and generally looking more like a house rabbits compared to his that looked more like a wild Jack Rabbit's ears. He also noticed that their ears were much more rounded than his were when it came to shape. He also differed greatly in body shape to them. Where they were curvy, he was lean, where they looked cuddly and tame, he looked agile and wild. He also stood a good head taller than even the tallest Hareman of that particular group. Haremen _barely_ reached six feet, let alone do they ever break that height, but one was just a head below his six one—not counting Aster's ears. Standing next to this particular lot of Haremen was making his _difference_ from them all the more apparent and it was beginning to make his anxiety peek. That and he didn't have the same markings that they did either. They had spots of colors on their faces or on their ears—he had sharply edged shapes on his body, the most prominent was on his forehead that resembled three leaves, two that flared out from the center of his brows over each eyebrow while the third sprouted from the adjoining two in the center and halted its shape just before his hairline. He had forgotten to cover it with makeup that morning.

He hammered his Human thumb into the crosswalk's button knowing it wasn't going to make it change any faster, but he still felt the pressing need to do _something _to distract himself from the eyes that were beginning to gaze towards their group. He wanted _away_ from this group because people were beginning to look. They were noticing the differences—they _had _to be—and that was going to be hard to explain if anyone got curious enough to ask. He was, after all, supposed to be 'hiding' in with their kind, not showing openly that he was different than them in every way, shape and form.

He sighed in relief when the crosswalk finally turned to a walking, filled out, stick figure and he stepped across the street, making sure to distance himself from the Haremen as he climbed the steps to the steakhouse he worked at. He opened the front door and walked in, nodding his head to Lily who handed him his apron and his night officially started when the first customer asked him, quite blatantly,

"This food kosher for you guys?" He had asked, having noticed Aster's Australian accent.

Aster, having worked at the joint for what felt like _ages_ now, nodded in an outright lie. "Aye, mate. It's the best Australian cuisine on the market. Reminds me of home."

He mentally grimaced. No, it _didn't_ remind him of home—never would, especially not _his _home, but that wasn't what the guy was referring too and in a way Australia had become Aster's new 'home'. His Warren was, after all, below that particular continent. But when it came to the food of the place, Aster gave it props for _trying. _By this point, though, the steakhouse was far too 'Americanized' in their dishes these days. They catered to what their customers wanted, like any good business would want to do, but in the mean time they had lost most of their theme in the process and it left Aster having to bite his tongue and deal with the slew of stupidity that didn't realize this fact.

But a paycheck was a paycheck, even if it almost mentally broke him every time.

Aster thanked the customer for their drink and appetizer order and headed to go drop it off. As he walked through the steakhouse he made sure to keep his foot long rabbit ears pressed firmly against his skull to keep them from banging into the low hung light fixtures and snippets of lower than normal bits of ceiling—and those _damn_ fans. _Those_ things were a _great_ way to brutalize one's ear cartilage. Aster winced, openly, when he remembered those fan blades smacking into one of his ears. Now _that_ had hurt, and almost got him fired from the string of uncontrolled swear words that shortly followed the injury.

He gazed around the muted room and took in the many booths, the people beginning to fill those booths that were laid out to face the bar at the other end of the steakhouse and then he watched as Pudge waved him over towards the back of his section where the moveable tables were. He nodded and held up his index finger to his manager, getting the last customer a drink and taking it to him before he went to help Pudge push tables together for a large party that were arriving within the next two hours.

"How was your weekend?" Pudge asked, glancing up to him and giving him a pair of freakishly Ocean blue eyes that looked as if they themselves had tides within their depths.

Aster shrugged. "Ya know how it is. Ah spent the weekend doing mah gardening and then came home ta help Ms. Hubbard with the boardinghouse after Ah got her some flowers."

Pudge's eyes brightened. "Say, you wouldn't happen to have any Plumeria would you?"

Aster's brows knitted together and he nodded. "Ah do, why?"

"Think I can get an order of about a hundred of them?" Pudge questioned, looking vaguely sheepish. "I want to get the Missus something and she's been dying for a bouquet of those flowers…I think she misses Hawaii and those flowers remind her of our home away from home."

Aster smirked and nodded. "Course Ah can. Ah've got a grove of 'em near the edge of mah garden. Ya know how ta care fer 'em, right?"

Pudge nodded, and then shrugged. "She does, at least."

Aster chuckled and took the edge of the tablecloth that Pudge held out to him. They laid it across the pushed together tables and Aster briefly wondered why they were doing that before he had to get back to serving his tables. Pudge looped by and gave him a brief smile before he went up to the front and began acting as a second Host to Lily. Aster looped around his tables, grabbing up drinks and ignoring stupid questions about his accent and only answering questions of food when it came to how it was prepared. Eventually his nose crinkled as he smelled his co-worker who sidled up next to him.

Hog _always_ smelled like dirt, and acted like it too. He was about as rough and gritty as the dirt he spent most of his time in. He was part of the more Earth based sprites like Aster; the only problem was that Hog _knew_ what Aster was. It was impossible _not _to know what one's co-worker in _two _different jobs was. The only reason Hog hadn't told anyone yet was because nobody had flashed a big enough dollar sign in front of his grimy hands…that and Aster truly believed that Hog wasn't going to rat him out—as strange as that might sound. Sure, Hog was a dirt bag, but there was an unsaid code between _all_ Earth based sprites which was upheld by the big bitch herself Mother Nature—even if she _was_ living it up in Hollywood as a 'goddess' of the screen while she actively tried to bring nature back to LA.

"It's nearing Spring there, rabbit." Hog's voice always sounded gravelly, reminded him of a smoker in a way. Not to mention he had rather noticeable buck teeth, unlike Aster who had them but his were much more natural looking. "You going to play hide out in your little home away from home again for a month soon as you get done parading around as the Easter Bunny?"

Aster's form stilled and he gulped again. He always, and he meant _always_, forgot about mating season. What was the point in remembering about it when you'd spent so long alone nor was there any chance of finding a mate? Well, _that_ particular time of the year had become a very stressful time for Aster. Since immersing himself with the world again that particular time of the year had become him hiding in his Warren furiously gardening in order to busy himself with something _other_ than what he wanted to be doing—mating. Aster shuddered.

"Yea, ya bet Ah'll be hiding." He muttered towards Hog. He then thought about how much time he had till, give or take, the middle of April when Springtime hit, along with his favorite time of the year—Easter. It was January, late January, so he still had another two and a half months or so. He rolled his eyes to Hog, giving a quick smirk towards the hairy man, and then said: "But Ah've got plenty of time till then, mate."

Hog snorted as Aster picked up the glasses he'd been filling and ushered them out to the booths that had ordered them. He continued a monotonous routine of taking orders, brushing off stupid questions, and then the inevitable happened. Somebody shouted his name in particular in such a high pitched and chirpy voice that he actually flinched, winced and stumbled forward. He watched in horror as the platter of food he had been holding began to spill over and winced as he began to fall, helpless to gravity, forward. He expected to hear the telltale crash and cracking of tableware and blinked in surprise when nothing of that sort sounded. Instead he looked up, seeing the plates held up in the arms of a shadow-like being.

"Really, Bunny, can't you do anything right without me needing to come save you?" Pitch asked with a teasing tone to his voice.

Aster glanced to Pitch who collected the platter from the shadow being he controlled, what looked to be absently by Pitch, and then held it up with one hand. Aster then felt a pair of hands grip him under his armpits and haul him to his Human feet—then into a rib crushing hug.

There was only _one_ man on the Earth that would _dare_ to touch him in such a way.

"Crikey, North, drop me before ya kill me, mate!" Aster gasped that entire sentence out as North's thick as tree-trunk arms crushed his ribs. He sucked in a sharp breath when North dropped him and then he felt his front being assaulted by another pair of light, delicate, hands give him a quick hug before he felt that small frame pull away as quick as it came followed quickly by hands brushing him off. "Tooth, mate, Ah'm fine. Thank ya."

Aster flinched when Pitch's hand landed on his shoulder in a well intended greeting—but thanks to past history Aster would _always _flinch when Pitch touched him—followed by Sandy who Aster had to kneel down to give a brief hug too. He then stood, gazing towards his friends—and the man who could only be described as his 'fre-enemy'—wondering what they were doing here when last he heard they were supposed to be on a yearlong tour. Aster blinked at North who sidled up next to Tooth, Sandy, Pitch, Tooth's little sister Tina 'Baby Tooth or BT' and then his eyes landed on a new face that had recently joined his friend's band. Aster looked the guy up and down, as he did the same, and then Aster turned slightly to North.

"Who's the Snowflake?" He asked with a hint of gruffness to his voice, directing the nickname to the Frost Sprite.

"Who's the Kangaroo?" The guy shot back, directing it towards North as well.

"Kanga…kangaroo?!" Aster barked, outraged.

North chuckled behind him and grabbed the collar of Aster's shirt as he lurched forward to try to wring the annoying new guy's throat. "Bunny, calm down zayka. He is our new singer, we would be greatly in the appreciating if you did not choke him old friend. Choking him would hinder us, what do they say? Shooting self in foot?"

"If ya ever need 'im ta die, North, just know that Ah'll bloody murder him fer ya." He griped, throwing North's grip from him after a quick disengaging motion he had picked up from martial arts training. "Ah'd gladly murder 'im fer ya over that crack."

Aster and the Frost Sprite glared at each other before a delicate throat clearing garnered their attentions. That _and_ some bloke yelled for a refill next to him.

"Bunny, meet Jack." Tooth said with a series of quick movements followed by the quick humming of her wings. "Jack, our good friend Bunny."

"Not a Kangaroo." Aster griped at the guy as he opened his mouth. "Say Kangaroo again and Ah'll gut ya like one."

"If you aren't one of them, then _what_ are you?" Jack asked, frowning towards him with distaste. "A Hareman?"

Aster, at first, almost denied that before he noticed Pitch's head snap sharply back and forth in a familiar 'No' head shake from behind Jack. Aster narrowed his eyes towards Pitch, hating that the limey prick was right when it came to admitting to _this_ particular lie.

"Yea, mate," Aster couldn't help the way his voice deflated, unable to voice what he actually was, "that's it, Ah'm a Hareman."

Aster nabbed up the glass from the table of the man who wanted the refill and missed the tilt Jack had to his head as he raised a curious brow. Instead Aster marched off, grinding his teeth and muttering about annoying 'Frostbites' in the process before he had to go and take their orders at the table they sat at in his section.

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10 points to anyone who can guess where Aster works! Just kidding...well the US people should know. The rest of you? Eh...I don't actually know how widespread that particular steakhouse is for Europe. Er...uhh...I need to get to sleep now. Best. Birthday. Ever.

Let me know if you want more I guess...I don't have a beta reader for this _at all_ so...expect mistakes and unclear crap-I'm shutting up now. Also there's a plot to this, I swear...night.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Rise of the Guardians, yadda, yadda, yadda...

As I'm doing with Manny's, it's response time!

To **PeicesOfTheBlackParade** and the **guest (outback?)**: 10 points to you two for guessing, good on ya.

To **kcr** (another guest): I'm getting round to the 'Hareman' of this story, but since it wont ruin anything I'll let you in on their personality type: Seagulls. Specifically, think of the ones from Finding Nemo and you've pretty much got the Haremen...they aren't bright individuals, tend to cluster together and make noise (eye twitch of annoyance here) and as you read I'll go a little more detail into why Aster is masquerading specifically as them :) Patience please, but thanks for the review. It made me realize I kinda put the wrong emotions in to describe Jack's reaction, but I sorta fix it in this Chapter and the one after this hopefully.

To **LoneArcticWolf09**: I totally blame you for this. I now feel obligated to actually think about this story and what I want to include in it...oh well I need to kick that writer's block for Manny's Moonlight anyways and what better way than a distraction? Also thanks again for talking with me. You have no idea how much I really appreciate it :)

Finally to **the black raven**: I don't want to sound mean, but this is probably going to sound mean because I can't put my tone of voice into text and I just have to say I am honestly just confused by your review. I don't know if you're reviewing this story and saying 'Wow, nice.' and just forgot to punctuate it (auto correct fail?) or asking me why everyone is suddenly on hiatus...(throws hands up in air in confusion). I can't speak for everyone on this website as to why they aren't updating. I can guess it has something to do with school related business, or they're just generally busy with their lives in some way. If you really want to know PM them yourself I guess? I do that all the time and nobody's bitten my head off for it yet. As for that host club anime? Yea...don't care much for anime. Cowboy Bebop and a few others I like just fine, but mostly I don't really like anime (Japanese anime particularly by this statement, obviously I like animation based things, but anything from Japan that's mass produced? Meh). Doesn't tickle my fancy, never really has :( Anyways, please don't be angry at me for typing the above, you've baffled me and I'm trying to make sense of it :)

**A/N**: Below doesn't contain too much and I haven't re-read this as much as I had the first chapter (I really need to stop doing things on the internet drunk) so if you find any typo's and/or mistakes let me know (Actually if you want you can PM me the mistakes and I'll try to get around to fixing them asap-remember I don't have a beta and I tend to miss my own mistakes even when I fix everything up for the fourth time). Next chapter will be up...er...I don't know. I'm going to try to work on it tonight and I know what its going to have-the Hareman explanation for those of you wondering about them-but I haven't quite figured out where or what I want to do...kinda going by the seat of my pants (or trousers) here. But I do plan on trying to keep this light hearted and humorous! Plus Jack and Bunny :) More at the bottom...

And now all of my friends from last night's bday party are officially awake (it's 10pm)...and I've been up since 8am with 5 hours of sleep and I'm _still_ truckin'! Insomnia, BOOM. Anyways, Chapter 2. Enjoy (I can't thank those of you enough who are adding this to your favorites, following and _**big thanks to those of you reviewing**_-go do it on Manny's too please I want to break 50 reviews for that story haha).

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Chapter 2: Meet Antarctic Blizzard

Aster's gaze went around the table his friends, members of a band called Antarctic Blizzard, were sitting at in his section. They were talking amongst each other, to a point seeing as Sandy was mute, and Aster found himself pinching the bridge of his nose as they shouted back and forth, argued and bickered, before Aster sighed and glanced down to Sandy who was just shaking his head with that lazy smile of his. When he saw Aster was looking down at him and he raised a curious brow.

_How was your Winter break?_ Sandy asked after raising his hands to sign towards him.

Aster gazed to each of his friends by that point. Sanderson Mansnoozie, since he was looking at him, was a rather short and stout individual. He barely broke the five foot mark and had a rounded look about his body and face. His features were pleasant with golden hair that frayed out into three separate sections from the base of his head in his attempt to comb it back. He attempted to control it but no matter what he tried his hair always looked as if he had just gotten up from a nap. His eyes were wide, a brown that was so light it almost looked as if it was orange and shifted every so often to gold when light hit them just right. His mouth was always set in a lazy smile, his brows always set in a height that amplified that lazy smile and gave him a pleasant expression. His skin was a warm tan and he wore a tan colored turtleneck below a mustard colored blazer. On his short legs were a pair of khaki pants and on his feet were—stars help him—a pair of loafers in a golden color. Sandy also seemed to have sand falling _everywhere_ from his pockets—but then again if the Sandman didn't carry around his magical sand then he wouldn't _be_ the Sandman.

Of course that was his other job—the thing he was in charge of for the Supernatural aspect of the world, just as Aster's was the Easter Bunny. Not only was Sandy the manager of Antarctic Blizzard, the irony of a mute managing a band wasn't lost on either Sandy or Aster, but he was also in charge of bringing good dreams to everyone. However, he shared the job with two other people and a _lot _of magical sand that knew what its job was the second it left his, or their, hands. Sandy was, if Aster was assuming right, about to head into work to take over for Lizzy—another dream weaver like Sandy—who did the later Winter into early Spring portion of the year. Each of them had a designated state to their dreams. Lizzy who did all the neutral dreams—late Winter into early Spring, Sandy who caused all the good dreams—early Spring into the beginnings of Fall, and then there was Pitch who caused all the Nightmares—Fall through till the near end of Winter.

As Aster thought about that last bit his gaze went over to the man formerly known as Kozmotis Pitchiner—now going by Pitch Black as a reminder to himself that he had been overshadowed for so long before he _finally_ regained himself while inadvertently ending up _liking _the name. Aster gazed warily towards the man who had adopted an English accent, which fit his normally snappish personality fairly well. His face was all sharp features that were angled to make him appear predatory—and it worked, especially with those piercing silver eyes that had that haunting golden glow around the pupils. His hair was pitch black, gelled down and away from his face. It brought forth his prominent widow's peak—which just amplified his already predatory looks and gave him that vulture-like look. His skin would forever be the odd pale/gray, another permanent feature he had adopted from being overshadowed along with his innate ability to control shadows and twist Sandy's sand magic to _his _own. It also didn't help that he always wore black clothes that just seemed to set off all of his more predatory features off and have him that 'scary' look. Currently he wore a simple black shirt, black jeans and on his feet were a pair of motorcycle boots that Aster himself had admired soon as he glanced at them.

Pitch also had a bad tendency to loom, even while sitting down. Aster believed it had to do with how long Pitch's arms and legs were—not to mention he tended to lean forward with a menacing air that seemed especially prominent when standing. Pitch did happen to only be a foot below North at six three, giving him that height advantage, and held a thin and lithe body. Pitch was the perfect part for the 'Boogeyman' that brought so many nightmares…and Aster happened to know he _relished_ his secondary job.

Where Pitch was scarier and woeful, Aster noticed that to Pitch's immediate left was his atmospheric opposite.

That realization dragged Aster's gaze over to North. Nicholas St. North, who had ditched most of his name by this point in his life and just chose to go by North, was good old St. Nick himself—but only on Christmas Eve when he adorned his classic deep red coat, hopped on his sleigh and delivered presents through the world to children. Aster knew he owned a factory up in the Arctic somewhere that held a plethora of Yetis and small sprite-like Elves, but he wondered how much work those parties did for North. Sure, North managed to traverse the world with Tooth and her 'band', but he couldn't fathom how North managed the production of billions of toys _and_ managed to oversee the manufacturing of them throughout the year.

That being said, Aster gazed towards North. He was as big as his Holiday in both his personality _and_ physical size. North's hair was a healthy, wavy, chestnut brown that he held back in a small ponytail with curling ends. His brows there thick and arching more in a menacing way when he wasn't smiling—which was rare. Those thick arching brows sat over a pair of piercing blue eyes that held all the wonder of the world to them, it was how North had managed to turn the clock back on his old age. He had wondered if there was a spell for it, found one that initiated the halting of time for him and then he had dug up a 'Youth' potion that knocked about forty years from his seventy year old appearance. He had changed a few things about himself when he'd woken up in his early thirties. For one he went back to his old anchor styled beard on his strong jaw from when he had been a Cossack, but he still kept his broad shoulders and his barrel shaped chest. His arms and legs both were the size of tree trunks and he stood at six foot four—which managed to draw people's attention because he wore the brightest, purest, color of red shirts that Aster could never figure the dye lot of. He paired those red shirts with either brown, blue or black jeans—today's choice being brown—and on his feet were a pair of black work boots that undoubtedly had steel toes to them.

North was currently in a relationship with none other than Tooth, the bird-woman who had stolen his heart shortly after he had finished mending it from a mutual break up with Mother Goose herself.

Aster's gaze slipped to Toothiana. _She _was to blame for the past five years of misery for him. She was the token female of the band, but she also technically wore the pants in both her personal relationship with North and when it came to what the band was going to do through the year. Apparently nobody argued with her and the last guy who did had ended up being kicked off the stage—literally. Tooth was in charge, just as she was in charge of gathering the children's Teeth as the Tooth Fairy. Sandy merely acted as a stand in manager when she was on stage performing, just like how Baby Tooth acted as stand in leader for Tooth when she was busy with the band.

She was part of the bird-women of Thailand, Supernatural beings that were gifted with wings and the ability to fly like that of a Hummingbird and at a quick speed. They _tended_ to be fairly hyper…just like Tooth, who was doing about four separate things at once. Aster's gaze went to examine Tooth as her fingers flew over the touch screen of her phone while she talked over the speaker to someone while she texted another, discussed things with North and then berated Jack when he froze Pitch's glass of water.

Aster shook his head and smirked. He glanced at her hair—feathers that looked so much like hair that if one hadn't known what she was they would have paid no mind to how light and airy her hair looked, let alone even realized it was feathers. She had a single golden—purposefully noticeable—feather that acted as a marker for her Royal status within her home above Southeast Asia, or as most referred to the location—Thailand. It swooped back from her hairline and curled upward, that splash of yellow breaking the Hummingbird green of her hair that was streaked with blues and violets. She had a diamond shaped face with thin brows over large, fuchsia colored eyes that glittered like gems and were surrounded by lush, feathered, eyelashes that resembled Egyptian fans in their shape. Her nose was straight and fairly royal looking paired with wide lips that had a thin upper lip and a plumper lower lip. Her skin was lightly tanned, her figure having small breasts paired with wider hips. She stood at only about five foot seven—if she was standing. She tended to hover above the ground with a continuous 'humming' sound that was emitted from the quick speed of her wings. Tooth held an almost regal air about her that drew one's attention to her when she demanded it, even if she _did _look innocent and pleasant. She wore a billowing shirt that had an open back to accommodate her dragonfly like wings, which she could shift to and from a more bird-like ones should she need them, but she preferred to keep the wings fairly translucent as they were now as she kept them pressed against her back. On her legs was a flowing skirt and on her feet were simple sandals adorned with gems of varying colors.

Tooth's head snapped to her sister, nearly a carbon copy of Tooth herself. She shared the yellow feather and the hair, but differed when it came to eye color and body shape. Baby Tooth, original name being Tina, or BT for short had a smaller figure, stood a foot shorter than Tooth and had bi-colored eyes. BT's right eye matched Tooth's eye color but her left was a bright blue that drew one's attention to her. She, unlike Tooth, tended to have more of a calm demeanor and seemed to flow better when the shit hit the fan. She was wise where Tooth was scatterbrained, calm when Tooth was frantic and shared Tooth's innate ability to demand attention. She, like Tooth, wore clothing that was loose and held an open back. They shared the same sandals, but BT had opted for a Maxi dress over two separate pieces of flowing clothes. However, she and Jack apparently shared a sibling-like bond from what Aster viewed as BT urged Jack to tap North's coffee with his fingertip—both snickering when North lifted the mug from the table and then frowned at the heavy weight inside that _had_ been coffee.

Tooth once again set away to reprimanding Jack, which brought Aster's gaze to him. He narrowed his eyes as they locked with Jack's.

He watched as Jack returned his narrow eyed glare and for a split second Aster felt like he was in a Western. All he needed was a tumbleweed to go by and someone to yell 'draw'. Fitting how he thought that just as Jack stuck his tongue out towards Aster like a child. Aster rolled his eyes, trying to ignore how much of a beaut the immature Frost Sprite known as Jack actually was when it came to looks—and he _rarely_ used 'beaut' to describe any males…hell he'd _never_ used that word before to describe _any _males.

But there was something about the mop-styled, messy, snow white hair that adorned Jack's head—seemingly permanently windswept—that gave him _just_ the right look to keep him young. He had that damn boy-ish good looks that Aster was _sure_ melted many a woman's heart and he knew Jack purposefully paired his looks with his animated ice blue eyes–that reminded Aster of a crystal clear lake frozen over with a sheen of ice—with that wide dashing smirk of his. Aster was sure he managed to get a _lot_ of fans to drop their panties every time he smiled. Sure, Jack was inherently young and had astonishingly beautiful, handsome, looks but he was still a Frost Sprite and he _had_ some years under his belt. Aster could tell as he gazed at Jack's bright blue eyes.

The 'older' side to Jack, for instance was noticeable when one really _looked _at his features. He had a strong jaw that was shaped so well it was one of his more prominent features. He _looked_ grown up when it came to his body structure as well even if he could turn sideways, stick his tongue out and impersonate a zipper. But Aster also acknowledge that not everybody, male or female, managed to fill out past a certain age and he had a feeling Jack was one of those individuals. Though Aster was referring to the physical 'age' to Jack still he couldn't ignore that glimmer of knowledge Jack's eyes held. Jack had, apparently, lived long enough to know how the world worked and it showed in his eyes. There was an age there that only came from years of living, and Frost Sprites—born or made—tended to live for a _long _time…nearly forever, like Aster. Aster shook himself from that thought and had noticed that Jack stood at about five foot eight with long limbs and a pale, almost luminescent, skin color. In all, he _really_ wasn't bad to look at—hell it made Aster want to dig out his old art supplies to he could sate the urge to paint him. He really _was_ a sight to behold, but Jack managed to offset everything with his worn out blue hoodie, brown colored jeans and sandals on his feet that Pudge had asked him to put on the second he noticed Jack hadn't been wearing shoes.

Aster took a moment to wonder just _what_ exactly Jack did as a Frost Sprite aside from Blizzards. He wondered if it had anything to do with how much fun he seemed to cause while at the table—even if it _did_ annoy Aster. His gaze went back to Sandy when he saw him waving to gather his attention, followed by Sandy tugging on the sleeve of his shirt. He shook his head, snapping from whatever spell Jack had set him under and blinked a few times before he cleared his throat to remember what Sandy had asked and said as he remembered:

"It was good.." Aster replied, turning when he heard a glass spill then followed by a sharp cracking behind him. He sighed. "Sorry, got a toddler in mah section and she just decided ta make it rain food at her table. Ah'll be back ta get yer orders in a tic."

Sandy had nodded and Aster took off to go take care of the blonde haired girl who sat with her father and her older brothers. Aster smiled at the father who was apologizing profusely—obviously this guy didn't spend much time with his kids. Aster could tell that within five seconds as he watched while the father had _no _idea how to calm them down. Luckily, Aster did. He waved the father off with an easy and reassuring smile, told him he understood and explained that kids breaking glasses and dishes were fairly regular and he shouldn't worry over it. He took the broken glass away and came back with a plastic cup that the toddler became quickly enthralled with—especially since she found she could turn the thing upside down and it wouldn't spill. He then dropped off a wide array of crayons and paper from his personal sketchbook he kept tucked in the waiter's section and let all of the kids have a hay day while their father ate in some semblance of peace since the kids were apparently 'done' with their half eaten meals.

Aster smiled lightly towards the kids as he stepped away from them. His heart clenched every time when he realized it was going to be the one thing he'd never be able to have. A kid or two…a family…all of it was dust in the wind. If he had his ears perked atop the crown of his head they would have fallen with that thought, luckily they had remained where he was flexing them. Against the back of his head where nobody really paid them any mind.

Shaking that depressing thought off—because the stars knew he'd been in a long enough depression from thoughts like that—and start back to his friend's table. He noticed they were still bickering, which halted his initial movements and made him begin his rounds around his section before he went back over. However he couldn't shake the feeling that he was being watched and he turned towards where that feeling was coming from and saw Jack. Jack who was sitting unabashedly staring intently towards him with uncertainty—or was it confusion? Before he even addressed _why _Jack kept staring at him with his brows drawn together he did his quick round of his section before he ended back to his friend's table.

He stepped up to the table and glanced at each of them, his eyes halting on Jack who—and _this_ caught his attention—crossed his eyes and then dramatically grabbed his throat before slouching in his seat as his eyes rolled back into his head. He then watched as Jack held up a small sign on the cloth napkin that said 'Kill me, plz.' Aster snorted out a quick laugh, which caused all bickering from his friends to half their continuous arguments and stare towards him with slack jawed awe. He frowned towards them. They made him feel like he had never laughed before. When all those staring pairs of eyes became too much for him he wiped the smile that had turned into a frown from his face and turned it into a menacing scowl.

"What ya bloody drongos?!" He snapped, watching from his peripheral vision as Jack smirked and straightened from his seat—almost looking smug. Aster dug out his notepad and glanced at each of his friends. "Listen, mates, Ah love each of ya—except ya, Pitch…and Frostbite over there Ah don't even know ya. Yer both on mah shit list—"

Pitch shrugged while he lifted a hand and waved it in the air vaguely while he said, "C'est la vie."

Jack, on the other hand, looked vaguely affronted before he shrugged it off and just smirked again from his seat.

"—but Ah'm going ta need yer actual drink orders and appetizer order, if yer getting' 'em that is." Aster stated. "Otherwise Ah should tell ya the kitchen is closin' in an hour along with the steakhouse so spendin' much more time arguing with one another isn't going ta get ya anywhere but out the door with empty bellies."

Thankfully, this seemed to be the warning his friends needed. He wrote down their drink orders, ID checked Jack because he felt like being a bit of an ass towards him for the Kangaroo jab before he jotted down his drink order as well, and finally stepped off with their orders. He dropped the appetizer order off at the kitchen and walked over to Sam at the bar to drop off the drink orders. After that he looped back through his tables, smiled at the note from the father that thanked him for his service and raised his brows at the man's tip, which was about thirty percent _over_ the regular fifteen percent. Aster pursed his lips in approval, nodding his thanks to the man even if he couldn't see it.

Maybe he'd drop off a few extra eggs at his house this year for Easter for the kids to find. Aster felt like the man might need the distraction the egg hunt would cause the kids in that regard—and it would wear them out.

He set about refilling drinks again, keeping his tongue bit through most of the night as the last few customers of the night trickled through, and finally got his friend's dinner orders as he dropped off the appetizers and drinks with Sam. He dropped their, along with his remaining tables', dinner orders off at the kitchen when he had taken the drinks and appetizer over to them. As he waited for the food to be cooked he found himself taking a five second breather in the waiter section and turned when Pudge walked into the area.

"So how's Easter lookin' this year?" Pudge asked, leaning on the counter as Aster's eyes darted over to the kitchen to see some of his friend's plates already being set on the counter there.

Aster shrugged. "It's lookin' good this year ta be honest. All the eggs have come in and still have a month or so ta fully grow, but it should be a good—hope filled—year." Aster grinned to himself. He always _loved_ it when Easter went off without a hitch. "The only thing that worries me is the bloody Frost Sprite over there with mah friends. That bloke there—Jack Frost—was part of the reason why Easter hit the fan back in '68. Ah'm still cross with him, and his other annoyin' Frost Sprite beings, over _that_."

"He's _that_ Jack Frost?" Pudge asked, hiding his smile behind his hand as he chuckled. Aster narrowed his eyes and glared at his manager. "I thought you didn't even know him!"

"Oh Ah bloody well don't know, Ah just know Ah want ta kick his teeth in." Aster frowned towards Pudge who was sniggering like an idiot. Aster then growled: "Oi, mate, stop sniggerin'. It isn't funny. It took me a year ta get Easter back on track thanks ta that bloke and his Frost Sprite larrikins!"

Pudge snorted, nodding and waving. "You're right, you're right…it's hilarious."

Aster rolled his eyes when Pudge started outright chortling. He sighed, shoulder slumping in defeat. "Just come help me drop the food off ya knocker."

Pudge obliged, asking once more about the flowers before Aster nodded and grabbed up four of the plates while Pudge grabbed the other two. Pudge placed the orders down in front of the right people when Aster directed him to who ordered what at the table. Aster was left with two plates on his hands before Pudge went to go help Hog with another order. Aster set the last plate in front of Jack and clapped his hands together and rubbing them together before he placed them on his hips.

"Enjoy yer meal, mates. Anythin' else Ah can get ya?" He asked. Then he nodded towards the kitchen, remembering what the cook told him. "Last call fer orders, so if ya want a dessert best let me know now."

"Carrot cake." Jack stated suddenly.

"Jack, no!" Tooth immediately retorted. "It'll ruin your teeth!"

"That and Ah haven't made it tonight." Aster muttered more to himself than his friends. Unfortunately all of them turned their gazes to him and he paled at the sudden attention he had garnered...again. "That is..er…never mind, Ah'll put yer order in Jacky."

"It's Jack!" He shouted in return.

"Its Jacky fer the Kangaroo crack earlier tonight!" Aster shouted back, snickering.

He halted, freezing at the kitchen's counter and wondering when he had started _snickering_ again. He frowned. He hadn't done that since his brother had told him one final joke before their family was eradicated. He shook it off and left the dessert order with the short order cook who had it on a plate and on the counter soon as Aster returned from refilling more drinks while he dropped off a few other dinners. Thankfully tonight was beginning to wind down and soon Aster was going to be able to enjoy a few days off before he had to return to this hellhole he called a 'job'.

There were times he _wished_ Easter, or even being the unofficial herald of Spring and titled as the Guardian of Hope, actually paid. He shrugged it off, dropping off the carrot cake in front of Jack and kneeling down next to Tooth when she beckoned him over.

"What'dya need Toothie?" He asked her, trying to ignore the want to shy away from her hand as she feverently rubbed his back in light, soothing, circles.

"Well…ah…" Tooth cleared her throat, glancing over to North and then Aster cocked his head to the side, his ears daring to perk up onto the crown of his head in curiosity as he took in the blush that overtook Tooth's face. "Well…I was wondering if you could do a special order for flowers? I'm _more_ than willing to pay you for your trouble."

Aster shook his head, raising a brow. "Tooth, sheila, getting flowers fer ya isn't a trouble. But what's the occasion and how long do Ah have ta grow 'em?"

Tooth then lifted her hand from behind his back and placed it in front of him. He stared at her hand for a moment in confusion before something caught the light. He took in a sharp breath, noticing the gorgeous ring that held a diamond in the center with a colorful array of gems surrounding it in her unique colors. Aster gently took her hand and examined the ring, noticing that it was gold, and realizing it was on the left hand on the ring finger next to her small pinky.

"Crickey, yer engaged?" Aster asked her, genuinely happy for Tooth while ignoring the pang of jealousy that shot through him. He really wanted to find someone, a Mate or partner in the Human sense, but he also knew that was impossible. "Whose the lucky bloke?"

He figured it was North, but as much time as North and Tooth spent bickering about little things the more he wondered if they were going to break up. Aster couldn't tell if they were _dooming _themselves already…or if they were _already_ a married couple and had finally realized it.

"That would be me, Bunny." North stated smugly. "Who else do you think she would marry?"

Tooth frowned, smacking North's shoulder lightly with the back of her hand while looking affronted while North chuckled happily. "I could marry anyone I want, buster brown."

"Galoopka, I was just meaning—" North started before Tooth just shook her head and grinned towards him, silencing him with a peck to the edge of his lips.

Aster straightened from his crouched position next to her, making sure to flex muscles near his ears to get them to press down against the base of his skull again, and glanced towards his tables. "Listen, mates, Ah'm _more_ than happy fer ya, really, but Ah still have some work Ah need ta get ta tonight. Ya mind swinging by the boardinghouse tomorrow? Ah can get a list of what flowers ya want and in what colors ya want me ta infuse them with. Ah'm imaginin' ya want me ta manipulate them?"

Tooth nodded. "I'll come by tomorrow. How's…oh I don't know three?"

Aster nodded, giving her shoulder a reassuring squeeze before he had to excuse himself. He walked around the restaurant after that, cleaning tables, refilling the few drinks of the stragglers and finally ended the night with cleaning the table his friends had sat at.

He heaved the plastic tub in his arms and halted when Pudge waved something under his nose. He took a brief sniffing and halted. He hiked the tub he held into one arm, which was a trick considering how heavy the contents were within it, and nabbed the paper from under his nose. He cocked a brow, surprised to see his friends had acquired new phone numbers at some point—which accounted for the past five years of near silence aside from a letter in the mail every month or so from Tooth. However he also noticed that the receipt also held Jack's phone number, with a small note from each of his friends on it thanking him in some way for his service tonight. Aster rolled his eyes, tucked the receipt with the overly large tip on it away and continued on with his work. He had a brief moment of wondering why he would ever need Jack's number.

_Pffft. Like Ah would ever call Jack bloody Frost_. He thought as he placed the tub on the kitchen counter by the sink and nodded his goodbye to the cook who was doing the dishes.

* * *

Good I hope? Anyways, I went with a younger North and realized I really don't like Sandy's original last name XD and I will never mention it again because of that fact lol. You guys get that they're still their Fairy tale selves, right? It doesn't mean much like it does in the movie-just a bunch of fancy titles I'm thinking-but its what they do out of obligation to the Supernatural world. Don't think too much on it, just nod and accept it. That's right...just nod and wave, nod and wave. K, off to start Chapter 3-not posting that tonight though...maybe Manny's. I'm about 2 seconds from bugging my editor now about where she is on that.

Also I realize I have a few stalkers. Some of you following/favoriting I've seen your names before from Manny's (Yes, I remember you! Hope you like this story too!)

Later!


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Rise of the Guardians, yadda, yadda, yadda...

To **Shanatic**: I'm glad you enjoy this fic and Manny's! But as fer the amazing writer part...I'm still unsure about that. I miss too many things and don't realize it till someone in the reviews points it out :D

To **Kayla**: I WAS WONDERING WHEN YOU WOULD STUMBLE ON THIS. You are by far one of my favorite reviewers haha. As for your review, originally I wasn't going to answer those questions (Congress is down, just kidding that joke is like hitting a dead horse now) but since I needed something else to bother Bunny with you prompted me to think of a chapter just especially for a brief, summary, type business dealy-I lost the words now-chapter that has, believe it or not, Pitch and Bunny interactions. Anyways I'll try my best to explain those little details you want, but this isn't edited like Manny's so if I fuck it up and feel its unclear I'll try to summarize it best as I can at the bottom of that chapter when I get round to it. That chapter might be stalled off for a few days because of this. I want to make sure I get the details right-don't stumble like I usually do and pray it comes out clear for you guys...seriously I love your reviews.

**A/N**: So I originally wasn't going to release this today, but then I got sleep (and slept in), re-read it three separate times during the day as I did things, and to kcr's disappointment I'm betting-didn't get round the Hareman thing I had originally intended. Instead I got this...next Chapter is for sure the Hareman thing, but tuned into the writer me said 'you need to build up a bit before the Hareman thing' and it's strictly Bunny and Jack bonding time (I know because I wrote it just last night at 2am after finishing the below).

As for the update on Manny's: I spoke to editor last night and she says she's trying her best to go through that Chapter but she's being distracted by life so its slow going. It's almost done though and she promised me she'll get it back asap. So hopefully Manny's is up in about a day or two.

Now I need to go get ready for derp softball league and then I'm hitting up the local Rocky Horror Picture show, which is why I am updating now instead of 3am when I would be home. **One** more thing: _**Views and reviews**_, if you guys haven't figured it out, spur me to crank work out faster and **_you guys are doing amazing_** at it so far-at least with this story. Keep up the good work on your side of the equation :) and of course push that into Manny's Moonlight too please!

Enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 3: Tooth's BAF Policy

Aster was currently halfway under the porch of the boardinghouse, freezing his ass off in the chilled breeze that kept blowing by in combination with the still coldly resting Earth he laid flat on. He grit his teeth to keep them from chattering as he realized that his lightweight, versatile, jacket that allowed him the most ease of mobility wasn't going to cut it in the Winter laced air. He wished he could just shift into his Pooka form. He would still have his Winter coat on at this time, would for another month or so yet, but his fur would do a bang up job of negating most of the cold in the air. He'd be able to work properly and not be too cold or hampered by clothes. Sure he _could_ do it, but he didn't want to risk being spotted—by anyone.

Being spotted would mean attention. Attention would mean countless people pestering him about his species; digging up all the things he had finally managed to bury somewhat successfully, both physically and emotionally, while he was in his self induced solitude. It was why he kept North, Tooth, Sandy, Pitch and BT at arm's length. He didn't want the attention that went hand in hand with what they chose to do for a living, especially since they were part of a fairly successful band, outside of their Supernatural obligations. He didn't want the invasion of his privacy he _knew_ would emerge if he attached himself to them too much…that and he was certain he hated paparazzi with a passion—or maybe it was just cameras in general.

Yea he could have just hid in the Warren if he was spotted, but for how long after his discovery? How long before _his_ home would be invaded by others? He lifted his upper lip in distaste. He didn't want anyone prodding at his wards like Pitch had done. He had came from the Warren that day ready to take someone's head for trying to trespass, and nearly took Pitch's in the process when he realized who had dared to try and pass through them.

He _didn't_ want anyone in his Warren unless _he_ had invited them, and even then nobody could stay for a long duration aside from him—unless he adjusted the ward, but fat chance of that happening. If his guests overstayed their welcome, or threatened him in any way while they were visiting, the magical sentinels pacing their engrained routes would be on them in a moment. That or the gem he usually gave to the visitor teleported their ass to bum-fuck nowhere leaving them stranded and lost.

Cruel, but _very_ effective…he hoped. He never actually had it _tested_ before. It was all theory at the moment since none of his friends stayed long in the Warren when invited. They had lives to live, just like Aster did.

As he gave the floorboard above him a solid shove with that thought and dirt fell into his eyes. He had tried pulling the floorboard from above only to have the stubborn thing not want to budge from his previous tugs on it from above. So he had shifted to work from under it, hoping that would work better. It did, the floorboard _was _looser, but he also had just nearly blinded himself with dirt. He cursed once again for the hundredth time that day as he blinked furiously to try to clear his eyes to no avail.

"Bunny, language." He heard Ms. Hubbard chastise from above where he butt-walked—which was a trick with a tail at the base of your spine—out from under the porch. He rubbed at his eyes furiously before he felt a pair of gentle and lithe fingers pulling his Human digits from his eyes. "Rubbing isn't going to help. Come on I'll take you inside and we can wash your eyes out."

Aster nodded as he blinked, vision blurry, then directed his eyes towards the old woman in front of him. He stood when he felt Ms. Hubbard tug on his forearm of his right arm. He resisted the urge to rub his eyes again, choosing to distract himself with conversation.

"Those aren't swear words, Lucy, they're power words." Aster told her with genuine sincerity, which was met by a disbelieving snort that had him smirking.

"Sure they were." She replied, unconvinced as they stepped into the house, through the entry and into the kitchen. "You need them every time a floorboard doesn't want to budge?"

"Well, they _do_ give me the strength ta knock 'em out of place with a little more 'oomph'." He chuckled when he heard the sure squeaking of the water faucet's sink, his ears swiveling towards the sound before resetting back to their normal direction as he felt Lucy's hands tugging his jacket off his shoulders. He got to the sink and waved out a hand to test the water's temperature, blinking his eyes once more and wincing at how much more blurry the world had become from that as he leaned forward to wash the dirt from his eyes. "Plus, _that_ floorboard was holdin' me up. Ah'm almost done with that side of the porch and that was the last one Ah needed ta replace."

He heard Lucy scoff before she went to her cupboard and pulled down a glass for water. "Calling an inanimate object a 'cunt' is _not _the way to coax it from being stuck. Bunny you are going to get into trouble with a mouth—" She halted when the doorbell rang. "Oh dear who could that be?"

"No idea." Aster replied as he ducked his eyes under the water and blinked them furiously from a combination of needing to clear them and that unchecked natural reaction to something going _into_ his eyes while they tried to keep it from entering. Lucy's footsteps turned faint and he heard the doorknob squeak as she turned it. "If it's more Haremen tell 'em Ah'm strictly a carnivore—or a cannibal. That'll make 'em wet their britches."

"Tooth, dear! Come in!" Lucy drawled a moment later and Aster's left ear swiveled that way as he heard the footsteps coming towards him shortly after the door closed. "He's in the kitchen here rinsing his eyes out."

He straightened and gave his eyes another quick rub before he grabbed a paper towel and dried his face. He opened his eyes to see Tooth coming into the kitchen—followed by none other than Jack. Aster's mood immediately dipped and he glared, crossing his arms and letting his mouth set into a firm frown. He thought _Tooth_ was supposed to swing by, not Tooth _and_ Jack. Aster shook his head in disbelief as his ears flattened.

"Toothie, what the hell is he doing 'ere?!" He barked, his accent thickening while he jabbed a threatening finger towards Jack. "Ah thought it was just ya today!"

"Oh Bunny hush." Tooth told him, waving her hand towards him flippantly with an air of exhaustion. He noted the dark circles under her eyes and wondered what had caused them. "We just got done signing paper work for him and this place is on the way home."

Well, that answered the question as to why Tooth looked, and sounded, exhausted. Paperwork…ugh.

"But—" He began, hissing his breath out between his teeth and gritting his teeth again. His anxiety peeked when he realized it would be rude to make Jack sit around the boardinghouse while he and Tooth spent an unknown amount of time discussing her flower order "Tooth, ya know how Ah feel about guests."

Tooth sighed. "Well do you want me to drive through rush hour traffic for an hour, drop him off and hold the rest of your day up? I won't even get back here until seven tonight if you so want me to do that."

Aster growled angrily before he snorted out a breath of irritation. "Fine, but yer both on visitor time limits. Ah'll not have that bloody Frostbite ruinin' mah Easter again."

"Aw, you still remember that?" Jack teased with a grin.

"Watch it ya larrikin." He grumped. He'd only met Jack briefly once before and even then he'd only seen the little shit's back as he, and the other Frost Sprites responsible for that disaster, flew off on a cold gust of wind laughing all the way. "Because of ya and yer bloody Frost Sprite friends half of mah bloody googies didn't even survive ta be enjoyed rightly."

"Googies?" Jack snorted out a quick laugh before he blew a raspberry in the air. "But the kids sure had a sick snow day."

Aster narrowed his eyes at Jack, his hand clenching as he got ready to lift it and give a well deserved—overdue—knuckle sandwich to a certain Frost Sprite. Tooth, though, stepped between them. She pushed Aster back with a thick book between her and him, making him have to grapple it as her hands left it and the heavy weight suddenly appeared. He grunted, continuing to glare warily towards Jack as he automatically began to open the book. He noticed the various bookmarks and opened to the first page.

He gazed at the Dragon Mouth Orchid and blinked at the large number of post it notes stuck to both sides of the pages. He blinked, immediately regretting the decision of helping Tooth the second he saw her handwriting _covering _the entire series of post it notes—front and back of each…on both sides of the page. He gazed at all the little notes and shook his head. He glanced up to Tooth with his brows knit together in confusion and disbelief.

"What do ya need _all_ these plants fer," He motioned to the six separate bookmarks, already knowing each had the same detail to the pages as the one he had opened too on their pages, "in _what_ sizes are we talkin' in girth and numbers and just _how_ many do ya have 'ere?" He asked, closing the book and waving it towards her, which was a trick considering how heavy the book was.

"Holy shit you're _ripped_." Jack murmured suddenly.

Aster halted all movement, suddenly very self-conscious as he glanced down at his toned arm briefly, and immediately reverted to his angry self as his ears pressed against his skull again. "Now listen here ya—"

"There is _no_ way you're a Hareman." Jack stated suddenly cutting him off. All disbelief that had been mistaken as distaste on Jack's face washed from those features while he made sure to put conviction in his voice as he said, "There's just…you're _nothing_ like them!"

Aster raised a brow, caught by surprise with Jack's fast realization and impressed by his observational skills. Sure, Tooth and the others knew what he was and they respected his want for privacy and to keep his particular secret under wraps, but he could honestly say he was surprised they had managed to keep from spilling the beans to Jack—they had _barely_ managed to keep it from the last singer. He found it hard to believe because his friends seemed to genuinely like Jack, he could see that already and the feeling seemed mutual for Jack as well. Hell Aster could already tell he'd have to deal with the dill on a fairly regular basis, he had watched the way they acted as if Jack was already a part of their small, dysfunctional, family. He was _sure_ someone would eventually, if not accidentally, blurt something soon to Jack—but that apparently wasn't the case as of yet. In time, maybe, but until then Aster was relieved to know his friends were adamant about keeping his secret.

"Course Ah'm a Hareman, mate." Aster replied quietly, all anger diffusing with that simple statement. He was honestly impressed that Jack had caught on so quickly to his charade, even if Aster himself was going to attempt to keep the rouse going. He shook his head, turning back to Tooth, the more pressing matter at hand. "Toothie, ya _need_ ta tell me the details. Ah have Easter comin' up soon and as much as yer mah friend Ah honestly can't put ya before _mah _Holiday. Ya know that."

Tooth nodded, chewing on her lower lip. "Well I was going to send this to you through the mail and give you another eight months to prep for it but then the rest of our tour got cancelled—"

"Their singer flipped his shit and walked out." Jack added, Tooth glaring behind her at the interruption before she continued.

"But then _that_ happened and now North and I decided it was better to do this _sooner_ than later. We don't know when we'll get another chance." Tooth's tone wavered. "Between me being the Tooth Fairy, part time manager and bassist for the band while North micro manages everything from afar within his workshop while juggling being our drummer we just…we _have_ no spare time aside from April. I _know_ Easter is your day, Bunny, which is why we scheduled our wedding for a week after." He watched as Tooth dipped her shoulder and let her small purse fall from it before she opened it and dug through the contents to produce a wedding invitation. He smirked at the invitation, liking the more Peacock look it had while still somehow encompassing North in the bordering and lettering. "It's April 27th and it'll be at the old park up in the hill that overlooks the City. Make sure you have this invitation or else the bouncers and security won't let you in—oh and keep a hold of it for the after party at our mansion."

Aster nodded, taking in that information and sucking in a sharp breath. "C'mon, let's get ta the Warren and we can plot out where yer flowers are going ta go. Ah'm about ta clear a cluster of Plumerias fer Pudge and Ah can use the space from there ta start yer flowers."

Aster put the book on the table and climbed the steps just outside of the kitchen's archway. He reached the top after taking the steps two at a time and took a sharp right at the top where his door was. He opened it and stepped up to his dresser. He glanced towards his door nervously before briefly shifting his shape and using his claws to wriggle the gems from their spots on his dresser. To the naked eye the green gems looked like nothing more than decorations for the dresser. In truth they were the temporary passes into his Warren—all they needed was his magic imbued into them to allow full access.

The best things are hidden in plain sight. It was a thing for a reason.

He shifted back after gathering the two gems and practically bounded back down the stairs. He grabbed up the book, explained what was happening to Ms. Hubbard and why he was most likely done with repairs for the day, then led Tooth and Jack out into the backyard. He held out his hand for Tooth who easily handed over her wrist where Aster placed the gem on the inside just over the pulse then imbued it with his unique Earthy magic so that it stuck to her wrist without needing a chain or bracer. He then turned to Jack who crossed his arms with a frowning face, his nose scrunched like a child who was curious but unwilling.

"Jacky, give me yer wrist—otherwise ya wait up here." He told him simply. "Personally, Ah've got no problem with ya waitin' up here. Ya would do less damage here then ya would in my Warren."

Jack narrowed his eyes. "You're doing it again."

Aster sighed and said with exasperation apparent in his voice: "Doing _what_ again?"

Jack waved to him before leaving his wrist bared towards Aster. "Not being a Hareman."

Aster snorted. "Yer going ta shit bricks then when ya see this then."

Jack narrowed his eyes further and gasped, Aster doing the same as he winced while their contrary elements mixed briefly while the gem settled itself onto Jack's wrist. Aster shook his hand out afterwards, feeling as if he'd touched an ice cube from that flaring of magic. He turned, pulling off his right shoe and sock before he tapped his bare foot on the ground twice in quick succession. Jack jumped back with a gust of cold wind when a pit suddenly opened up next to them, the earth below draining in a six foot wide circle and exposing the black pit as if it had been filtered through the center of an hourglass. Aster smirked smugly towards Jack and then held out his arm to Tooth.

"Ready?" He asked her, hiking her book into his arm that held his shoe and sock.

She grabbed up his arm. "Ready."

Aster leaned towards her and whispered. "Do me a favor and scream bloody murder on the way down, yea?"

Tooth bit her lip, after gazing at him with curiosity, to keep from laughing. Her laugh slipped through, though, and came out in short snorts. Aster and her then took that step forward and let gravity take over as they fell down into the hole. Aster was so proud of Tooth as she did as he asked and screamed—loudly, even managing to make gurgling noises that would have won her an Oscar. He snickered, trying to keep quiet himself when he heard Jack's yelp of surprise from above before he rubbed his ears to get the ringing from Tooth's scream out of them. He cupped his hand near his mouth after spending a few more seconds snickering and looked upwards.

"C'mon Jacky! We don't have all bloody day!" Aster shouted, surprised to see Jack's face set in a defiant show of strength, determination and fearlessness.

Aster was once again caught by surprise as Jack jumped down the dark hole without so much as a second thought. Aster turned to face Tooth as Jack landed soundlessly next to them, the gravel at his feet stirring slightly from a gust of wind he had used to cushion his fall.

"Ah'll give him this, he's ballsy." Aster murmured towards Tooth, then turned and led them through the tunnel. He absently opened the book and began to page through it again, beginning his mental count for what he needed for Tooth's wedding.

"This…is definitely _not_ Hareman traits." Jack muttered as the tunnel closed up behind them.

"Give it up, mate!" Aster shouted over his shoulder as he gazed at some of the flowers. He'd have to take a trip around the world to get a few of the seeds, but it wasn't something he couldn't do in an hour. "Toothie, ya _sure_ ya want Cosmos? They attract bees like ya wouldn't believe."

"Yea. I want them for the perimeter, they have the best looking girth to their petals to form shapes with. I'll need blues, purples, royal greens—"

"All the colors of a Peacock's tail feathers?" Aster supplied with a quick grin to her, ignoring Jack as he flew past on a gust of wind as they emerged from the tunnel. "Ya seem ta have a want fer those particular colors."

Tooth blushed and nodded. "Yes, absolutely. I would love them to be in those colors and I'll need thousands of each of them. I put the total there."

She rolled onto her toes and pointed to the number as Jack shouted: "Seriously! You _can't_ be a Hareman with a place like this! Where are we?!"

"Get down from there ya hoon!" Aster snapped, realizing he wasn't watching the most dangerous being in his Warren—who had in seconds managed to get onto a perch in his willow tree. He had noticed the temperature had dropped as well and he glared up at Jack in his perch in the willow tree, a crooked staff in his hands. "Where'd ya get the stick?"

Jack's slim shoulders shrugged. "It comes when I call it…or shows up when it pleases. Magic items, they're unpredictable." He then waved his crooked staff towards the vast fields of green grass intermixed with rivers, rows of unique vegetation and flowers then he watched in horror as Jack's mouth opened into a wide grin. He lifted his hand and shielded his eyes from the sun that filtered through an invisible barrier and Aster watched as a spark of childlike wonder lit in Jack's eyes. "Is that an _egg_!?"

Aster huffed when Jack flew off towards his sectioned off area for the flowers that contained the many eggs that would hold variations of his chocolate and miniature toys he had previously shrank and implanted into the root of each egg baring flower. He growled angrily when the temperature dropped again, his anxiety growing as he darted forward at a fast pace to catch up to Jack, worried about some of the more temperamental vegetation in his Warren. Aster felt the book's weight in his arm as he struggled to run with it, setting it down by his willow tree just outside of his burrow as he passed it that held a small hand carved table and chairs that he had managed to salvage from his brother's burrow. He picked up the pace after dropping the book off and noticed Tooth had decided to stay by the book to wait for them.

"Jack! Damnit get back here!" Aster snapped angrily.

He wasn't getting through to Jack, that much he could tell. However, he had the upper hand in _this _domain. He knew this place so well he could navigate it blind—and he had for awhile when he had ditched his glasses four hundred years ago. He hadn't known at that time that the glasses were acting as an inhibitor to his natural healing abilities, if his eyesight was fine with the glasses then why would his body fix it? Then he'd ditched the specs and stumbled through his Warren for the first ten years as his eyes slowly—gradually—improved to today where he had 20/20 vision. As that thought slipped by he realized Jack's height had faltered and he dipped while he neared the area he was heading for.

It was Aster's time to strike. He jumped, pushing off one of the larger rocks with his left leg—and if Tooth hadn't know about his original form it would have looked like an abnormally powerful push off for a Human leg—and he grappled Jack's form midair, making sure to get one of the good solid Judo holds he had picked up over the years and tugged Jack from the air using his weight. Jack squawked at the sudden change in altitude and into the, luckily, un-dyed river—the _single_ one out of the entire Warren. Then Aster's back hit the water, followed by Jack as they became submerged and a quick flash of white that blinded Aster before he could do anything more.

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In case you guys haven't noticed: Trying to keep a 3K, give or take 500 words, limit per chapter on this story. For one it allows me to update it faster and another reason is that its just easier to do little snippets and make them quality pieces-even if its like this Chapter and has nothing to it...just kidding this is packed with a few little things :) Anyways, hope all is well in the above-if not let me know in the reviews or PM me should you choose. Next Chapter is done, has Bunny and Jack goodness-nothing dirty so don't get your hopes up-just bonding time, jokes and Bunny snapping at Jack. It'll be out when I feel its good enough. As of right now its...well alright. I need to edit it, switch things around and analyze certain feelings...why am i doing a romance I am awful at this shit.

Night guys, hope you enjoyed the story! Hope its going well too. Seat of pants and all... :)


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Rise of the Guardians, yadda, yadda, yadda...

To **Kayla**: Mwahahaha I still love your reviews XD I'm getting to Jack's background in this Chapter when it comes to his 'Frost Sprite' side. I kinda put my own twist on it for shits and giggles. As for the people, fans, etc... that's definitely coming at a later date. I had always planned on hitting that subject, especially since its one of Bunny's more panic inducing problems as I've hinted at in previous Chapters :)

To **Shanatic**: I loved messaging you btw, that was a fun little distraction. Feel free to continue it, I know I will :D I'm also very glad to know that this story is getting better with each Chapter. Makes me feel all tingly inside.

To **krc** (guest): Le gasp! He sure is, but I skipped most of that- 3K limit and all (I'm a dirty liar because this Chapter is longer than 3K). Also I apologize to you for pushing the Hareman thing back a Chapter from my original goal, but I really felt the need to push it to a more fitting area-like this Chapter! Hope it answers some of your questions for the Hareman individuals :)

Also guys I should mention **Shanatic** is pretty good at writing and her current favorite story of mine is 'My Regular' (please don't change the name I love it so much). It's unique and I'd like her to continue it so please go check it out and leave her reviews :) Same for **LoneArcticWolf09**. Her stories are great as well! That's enough shameless plugs for now haha!

It's 2:30am...again and here I am updating after kicking my writer's block towards Manny's Moonlight in the nards. Holy crap I got so much done on that story tonight (I spent a month drawing blanks). Good thing I was using this story as a way to counteract that annoyance. I MIGHT push this story to the background unless you guys tell me otherwise again.

Anyways, Jack and Bunny goodness below. I hope it's alright, I'm always so unsure of these bits and please keep reviewing! I'd like to see more new names :D

Enjoy!

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Chapter 4: Jack and Aster, The Hareman Debate

Aster's eye twitched as his gaze looked around his Warren. After swimming downstream the second he realized there was a two inch thick block of ice above his head—where Jack's form _had _been—he pried himself from his own river choking and sputtering while gasping for breath. Soon as he recovered he sucked oxygen into his lungs first before he had _snapped_. He had pushed himself up from the edge of the river and stomped towards Jack's wet form, giving his shoulder a firm shove with the initial goal of getting Jack to turn around to face him. He had wanted to vent his frustration with Jack, but the second his form fully turned around and faced Aster, he found his anger waned.

Jack's blue eyes had been wide with fear, the temperature around him still freezing and his teeth actually chattering together as his body intermittently shook—and it wasn't from the cold. Aster had puffed out a breath seeing Jack's obvious fear and narrowed his gaze when he realized he wasn't going to be able to vent the fury he had towards Jack. The fear in those blue depths was too prominent for the frozen river next to them to be anything more than accidental. However, Aster barely kept his temper in check as he escorted Jack—with Tooth's help—back to his burrow that acted as his home in the Warren. He dug out a pair of spare shorts for Jack, made him change into them in his bathroom while he changed into a pair of shorts as well in his bedroom, and took their soaked clothes outside to hang them in the warm air of the Warren on a clothesline.

Aster set away to making a quick snack after that in the burrow for Tooth and Jack, Jack admitting that the second he had gone under the water he had panicked, which had froze the entire section of the river up around him and then dusted the fields with a light amount of snow in his panic when he realized he was submerged in water. All of it was due to the fact that Jack had drowned in a lake after falling through thin ice while trying to save his sister—hence the Frost 'Spirit' portion of his particular description. Granted not all Frost Sprites were 'Spirits' of dead individuals, but some of them like Jack were turned—usually when they had a desired unique personality—by none other than Father Winter himself and the ever magically powerful moon. Still, though, that didn't keep Aster from being irritated with Jack.

Aster sent one more glare back towards Jack as they stepped back outside after finishing the snack. He was unable to stay pist at Jack for having a fear of drowning, but he was still angry about the damage done to his Warren. He turned from the clothesline after checking their clothes to see how dry they now were and stomped towards Jack and Tooth, grinding his teeth as he approached the table and chairs.

"Now listen 'ere ya bloody show pony," Aster bit out, cutting his hand through the air aggressively the _second_ he saw Tooth raise her hand and open her mouth. This was _his_ Warren, and though he may have skipped the intro lecture thanks to Tooth's distraction, he was going to give Jack the summarized version, "ya stay _put_, ya don't _touch_ and ya definitely _do not_ freeze over my delicate vegetation." Aster leaned forward, impersonating Pitch in a way as he loomed over Jack with an intensity to his green gaze that was echoed in the reflection from Jack's eyes. "Got it?"

Jack nodded feverently, looking crushed in a way before his head dipped and his bangs covered most of his face from Aster's view. Aster straightened and crossed his arms. He growled out in irritation when his hair dripped still and he shook his head out, spraying water over Tooth and Jack, his ears making 'flapping' sounds as they hit each other from the sharp drying shake. He then sucked in a sharp breath, ignoring Tooth's mutterings while running his hand through his Faux hawk styled hair and glanced to Jack.

His pent up anger deflated a little, noticing that Jack's small form still shook every so often and his normally pale face was still drained of what little color it did hold. Aster clenched his left hand and bounced it on his left hip while he gripped his right shoulder with his right hand tightly.

"Ya a'right, though?" He asked, his voice as deflated as he felt when he realized he was being unfair to Jack's predicament.

Jack nodded, barely looking as if he registered what Aster had just asked if his glazed over eyes was anything to go by when his head lifted—eyes gazing towards the small Winter wonderland that was slowly melting. Aster at first had been worried about that particular look until he realized it was Jack still recovering from the trauma—or would it be shock?—of landing in the very thing that killed him.

Figuring it best to leave Jack be for the moment Aster turned his attention to Tooth again. As they discussed some of the smaller details of her flower order he sent glances over to Jack whose color slowly returned—or as much color as his pale cheeks had to them—and he watched as Jack began to twitch with a childish need to move. It was here that Aster had an ingenious idea.

"Jacky, want ta help me gather some flowers?" He asked, jarring Jack's attention and watching as his hands—which had slowly began to clench around the staff he held to his chest in a grip that reminded Aster of a child holding their favorite blanket or stuffed animal—relaxed.

"Sure…I guess." Jack stated with uncertainty.

"Well, yes or no. Don't give me a 'sure' and sound unconvincing." Aster pressed. He didn't ask for much, just a 'yes' or 'no' not 'sure' or 'maybe'. "C'mon, show me that conviction ya had as ya accused me of not being a Hareman."

Jack snorted, nodding. "Yes, I'll help." Jack then looked away with uncertainty before he said, while lowering the staff in his lap, "You're not mad about me freezing a section of your Warren over?"

Aster narrowed his eyes. "Ah'm furious, actually, but yellin' at ya fer having a panic induced reaction would be hypocritical." He glanced over at that section of his Warren, shrugging a shoulder. "Ah'll have ta take some time out of mah night later ta breathe some fresh life into that section, maybe push some rejuvenating power into it as well, but ya surprisingly missed the more important section of that area and only really hit decorations." He turned his gaze back to Jack's, whose face and posture showed his relief. "But don't do it again."

Jack's head bobbed in agreement. At that point Tooth stood, looking somewhat relieved herself. She turned to Aster, placing a hand on his bare shoulder and rubbing it in a friendly manner.

"Thank you so much Bunny. From both North and I." She grasped him in a tight hug and Aster found himself giving her a hug in return.

"Not a problem Toothie." He stated as she pulled away. Tooth's gaze went over to Jack and he knew what she was going to ask before she voiced it and he shrugged a shoulder. "Ah'll bring him home. Yer still on Grove, right?"

Tooth nodded. "Are you tunneling it or driving?"

Aster rubbed his neck in thought. "Ahhhhh…probably depends on what time it is. If it's close ta ten at night Ah might tunnel him there. If it's anywhere near eight or nine tonight then Ah'll probably use Ms. Hubbard's truck. Got'ta drop off these flowers fer Pudge first and Ah figure fer freezing mah Warren over he can help cut and deliver them."

Tooth nodded, giving Jack a brief hug as well and handing him her cell phone—which wasn't swimming at the bottom of Aster's river like Jack's was. She left in a quick humming of wings and Aster stepped over to Jack, holding out his hand and beckoning for his wrist. He once again imbued the gem there with his signature, refreshing Jack's time limit within the walls of his Warren, all the while flinching yet again at that spark that shot between them and then led Jack over to the field they were going to toil over for a few hours. They began working in silence at first; Jack's staff stuck upright in the soil after Aster had assured him it wasn't going to hurt anything. Aster knelt down, grabbed up a sickle, and set to work showing Jack the motions of cutting with delicate swipes instead of hacking like they had apparently done when Jack had been Human.

They got a quarter of the way through the field of flowers before Jack straightened from his hunched position. "So, want to know how I know you're not a Hareman?"

Aster glanced up at Jack, who was wearing a borrowed pair of shorts from Aster while his clothes dried along with Aster's on the clothesline. Jack, he had to admit, looked even _smaller_ in his long shorts. Aster's own hips weren't much bigger than Jack's, but the extra fabric that had been added with those extra inches played with the eye and made Jack look smaller than he actually was. Aster also noted that Jack, surprisingly, had muscles that were strong and coiled tightly around his limbs, his chest sporting just enough to hide his ribs while his stomach itself was flat and toned. Aster made his eyes dart away from Jack, especially when he realized Jack was looking right back at him with the same assessing look. Aster cleared his throat.

"Ya were sayin'?" He asked, trying to keep himself from sounding anxious. He'd never _looked_ at a male quite like Jack before. It was baffling how he seemed to draw his attention—but damn was he annoying! Aster whistled between his teeth when Jack kept staring. "Yo, Wacko-Jacko, ya there?"

Jack's head shook and he nodded then pointed the sickle towards Aster, who watched those pale cheeks flush in embarrassment. "Yea, I was saying I know why you're not a Hareman. I don't know what else you _could_ be, but you are not one of _them_."

Aster halted all movement and raised a brow towards Jack. He tilted his head and stated, "Sound more racist why don't ya."

Jack huffed, throwing his arms up in the air. "Hey, I'm just _saying_ you don't act like them. I have nothing against them aside from the usual complaints—hell I went to _class_ with a _pack_ of them! They're so annoying!"

Aster snorted out a quick laugh. "They're pack based beings, Jack, whether they're related ta Rabbits or not."

"Rabbits aren't pack animals! At least not without a _lot_ of work. They're more like…I don't know community centered…" Jack stated as he trailed off, crossing his arms, clearly out of his element.

"Oi, slacker, get ta work." Aster griped, realizing Jack had stopped cutting. "If ya can't wag yer jaw and cut plants at the same time then maybe ya should shut yer trap till we're done."

Jack huffed again, kneeling down and setting to work. Aster raised his brows in surprise as he watched Jack's speed pick up while his cutting became surprisingly more precise. Was anger a good way to get the Frostbite to work faster? Aster tucked that bit of knowledge away for later and continued on with his own cutting.

"As I was saying—if there is one Hareman," Jack grunted as he ran into an especially strong root, "there's about six others where _he _or _she_ came from." It was here Jack paused briefly and jabbed the sickle towards Aster who was, admittedly, getting amused with the Sherlock routine Jack was putting on. "You, Mr. Kangaroo, are alone—_all_ the time from what Tooth tells me. _Not _a thing a Hareman does _willingly_."

Aster halted and did his own sickle jabbing towards Jack. "Oi, watch the Kangaroo remarks, mate. Mah previous threat still stands." He then turned his back to Jack and continued working again when Jack did. "So, Toothie tell ya much about me?"

He glanced over to see Jack shrug. "She and the others told me a little bit. They told me you're short tempered, which I saw today by the way, you jump to endless conclusions that just get more irrational the more panicked you get—"

"A'right!" Aster barked, glaring towards Jack who sent him a shit eatin' smirk. He narrowed his eyes briefly before he nodded. "Get on with it."

"You don't talk as much as a Hareman, and when you do it's actually intelligent—even if the accent _does_ mar that." Jack tossed a clump of dirt into Aster when he straightened, ready to retort that with something before he froze in surprise. He gaped down at the clumps of dirt that had exploded out from the initial cold laced dirt clumping—which is when he noticed Jack had frozen the dirt just enough to wet it in order to keep it from hitting too hard and turning it more towards sludge. "Then there's the _physical_ differences between you and those Haremen. You, Bunny, are _ripped_. They are…I don't know…paunchy? Too much cushion?"

Aster barked out a laugh by this point. He completely understood what Jack was getting at, the Haremen themselves being curvy and filled out, giving them a more cuddly look about them, but the way Jack failed at describing it made Aster eventually have to hunch over and cradle his stomach as laughter—_true_ laughter—racked his body for the first time in ages—and it felt _good_. He eventually recovered, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand that held the sickle and gasped in breaths.

"Oi Jacky, that was magnificent." He sniggered more before he outright snorted, which caused Jack to suddenly start laughing. He smiled towards Jack and for a brief moment Jack halted all movement and stared with a gaping mouth towards him. Aster wiped the smile from his face, worried that something had gone wrong. "What? Somethin' the matter?"

Jack shook his head. "No, just…never mind." Jack shook his head and waved a hand in the air absently. "Let's get this done."

"Ah agree. We've been here long enough." Aster then bobbed his head. "Now, ya were sayin'?"

Jack sat back on his legs from having just leaned forward and pursed his lips. Aster glimpsed Jack bobbing his head in his peripheral vision as he seemed to mentally tick off everything that was different between Aster and the Haremen. Aster then knee walked forward across the single path of grass that separated the flower groves before Jack snuffled towards the edge of it and belly flopped forward, twirling the sickle in his fingers with a dexterity that impressed Aster.

"I have two more observations. First, your ears." Jack indicated towards them and Aster's ears twitched as if they had a mind of their own and were giddy with being recognized. "Those are half a foot longer, shaped differently, have a unique coloring to them that I have never seen before on a Hareman, and to top it all off its apparent that you have actual _control_ of the way they move."

As if to show him Aster smirked, letting one ear drop while letting the other twitch in the air. Jack snickered, pointing the sickle towards him.

"Just like that. I have _never_ seen a Hareman do that unless he, or she, has a naturally floppy ear…or ears." Jack then pushed up onto his knees and imitated Aster as he knee walked to him. Aster watched in curiosity as Jack halted in front of him, placing the sickle down on the ground and then turning to face him. "Then there's _these_."

Jack's hand briefly landed on the marking on his bicep before Aster flinched—jerked as if he had just been touched with something scalding hot—back from Jack's touch so quickly that he actually crushed the flowers behind him as he landed on his ass. Normally he'd have been furious about crushing the flowers, but at the moment he was more panicked about the stranger—or near to stranger—that had just tried to touch him. He had no qualms with initiating touches, but he kept those few and far between, it was what Jack had just attempted that Aster ran into problems with. Jack's eyes widened in surprise and he immediately threw his hands up into the air, palms facing Aster, in an attempt to pacify Aster's wide eyed look that was wrought with panic induced fear. Aster's heart beat quickly in his chest, him taking in sharp breaths and trying to calm himself when Jack remained unmoving in front of him, as his panic resided. Jack stayed frozen which helped Aster a lot considering his instincts were telling him to run and when Aster finally felt relaxed enough to he sat back up onto his knees, his body shaking, as he clenched and unclenched his hands nervously.

He had taken part in a war, survived the genocide of his people, a crash landing on a foreign planet, had shaped the planet he crashed on with a better gravitational axis and frequently acted as a general tough guy—but try to touch him and all bets were off. Ever since the genocide of his race and the solitude, he had developed an almost severe case of anxiety that he was _honestly_ working on—especially when it came to more intimate touches like hugs, pats and Tooth sometimes got away with a peck to his cheek.

"Ahhh…Sorry…" Aster replied, taking in a shuddering breath. "Ah don't do well with intimacy or touching at all…took Tooth and the others three hundred years ta get ta the point they're at today…nothin' personal."

Jack's head tilted and he nodded, his voice soft as he replied with. "I get it." Aster raised a brow towards Jack who shrugged. "The thing nobody tells you when you're brought to life as a Frost Spirit after dying, you know before you get promoted to being a Frost Sprite? You're invisible for three hundred years to _everyone_ in the Human realm…nothing worse than people walking _through _you. Sure other Supernatural beings could see me, but I missed contact with what I _used _to be…I spent three hundred years wondering what the hell I was doing, and the amnesia didn't help. It took me visiting Tooth to get my memories back—which is when I figured out why I was brought to life again—before I was able to figure out what I was supposed to do." Aster watched as Jack smiled sadly to himself as he then said, "I somehow managed to find fun in even the bleakest of snow days, and _that's_ why I was revived. Apparently Father Winter wanted his winter to turn into 'snowballs' and 'fun times'. But as I was saying," Jack waved a hand in the air and glanced back over to Aster, "when I had my first bit of Human contact after three hundred years of solitude…it was both frightening _and _relieving. So…I get it."

Aster nodded, his nerves finally faltering and he held out his hand—which still shook with small tremors of fear—and waited. Jack slowly lowered his hand onto Aster's palm. He felt the chill that seemed to emanate from Jack's being, making sure to keep his own movements slow as he clasped that hand in his, trying to adjust to the feel that was Jack—just as he had done with Tooth, North, Sandy, Pitch and even BT. It had taken him so long to let _any_ of them near him after he had emerged from his Warren—even when they visited while he was still in solitude he had kept a good ten feet between them until the turn of the last century. It was all residual, leftover, feelings from the genocide of his species. All of it was linked to Pitch, or the being that had overshadowed Pitch.

The thing had looked so Human…so much like one of the few people Aster had actually liked that was outside of his species, and it had taken all of five seconds to shatter Aster's world and ensure that he was unable to do much more than hide himself behind his intellect and keep his sentences short, brief and to the point—usually so he would hurry along with ending the meeting or visit, which usually ended with him walking from the area without saying anything further and putting distance between him and the more Human looking beings. He let out a shaky breath as he realized, oddly, that Jack's touch was comforting. He didn't feel the usual tensing of his shoulders when Jack touched him. He didn't feel anything but comfort—and he hadn't known how long he had been yearning for that particular feeling until he had taken up Jack's hand.

Jack coughed gently, dipping his head and meeting Aster's eyes. "Uh, Bunny, you there?"

Aster cleared his throat this time, trying to clear the tightness there and then blinking his eyes furiously to keep the tears that wanted to escape at bay as he pushed his memories away to focus on the now. "Yea…let's get back ta work."

"Wait, I was going to say your markings. They aren't the same as the Hareman's." Jack then slowly, all the while making sure Aster could see the free hand that Aster wasn't holding and pressed the pad of his thumb over the markings that adorned Aster's Human forehead. Then Jack trailed that hand to his original intended spot that sat on Aster's biceps, which sported another set of markings that could only be described as tattoos on Aster's Human body. "Haremen…they _don't_ have such unique looking marks. It's…strange, but—and excuse me for saying it like this—beautiful."

Aster sucked in a sharp breath when Jack admitted that and his ear swiveled as he picked up Jack's normally deep, soothing voice suddenly held a more husky tone to it. Then it was Aster's turn to invade his personal space. Before he could even _think_ to stop himself Aster leaned forward and began sniffing intently at the crook of Jack's throat—that heady spot at the juncture of the shoulder and the base of the neck. Jack froze, the temperature dropping for but a moment before Aster dared to let his nose trail a little higher to the base of Jack's ear—another hot spot for a scenting. He took in deep inhales, noticing the mint and vanilla of Jack's remaining Human scent mixing with the freshly fallen snow and wilderness of the Frost Sprite side. It was a heady mixture that was soothing and relaxing in itself. Aster leaned back as his instinctual need to associate Jack to a particular scent subsided, darting his gaze away from Jack's shyly and dipping his head, his ears falling back in embarrassment.

"Sorry…uh…bad habit." He explained. It was a bad habit he was _so_ glad still remained, else he wouldn't have gotten that magnificent scent in his nose. "Ah…uh…Ah did it with the others too when Ah first met them. So…we getting' back ta work or what?"

Aster did exactly as he suggest and went back to cutting, ignoring how Jack started snickering. "I also happen to know that a Hareman has _never_ done _that_ before!" Aster ignored Jack's whoop of laughter before he saw him twirl the damn sickle in his hand and set away to cutting again. "So…what are you?"

Aster halted again, glancing over at Jack. He smirked, noticing that oh so _eager_ gaze Jack's blue eyes held. It reminded him of a kid who was seconds from finding one of his golden eggs, hell it reminded him of the children when they were seconds from opening one of North's damn presents. He chuckled, albeit evilly, and pointed towards Jack.

"Ya figure it out, Jacky, and Ah'll tell ya. Till then it's a guessin' game." Aster admitted, laughing when Jack threw the sickle over his shoulder into the air and let out an exasperated groan of defeat. "Oi, Jacky, c'mon mate we have a schedule we need ta keep and Ah still gotta start a few of Tooth's flowers."

By the end of the day Aster had to resort to dropping Jack off through the tunnels, Jack spouting off every kind of creature, Supernatural being or beast he could think of as they walked through the tunnels at an easy pace, neither one wanting to split from the other's company—even if they didn't realize it yet. However, when they emerged outside of the mansion that Tooth owned with North Aster shook his head when Jack had _barely_ made it through the A's.

"Yer just going ta name off everythin' in alphabetical order till ya get it, aren't ya?" Aster asked, laughing as he walked Jack to the backyard's sliding glass door…well the one of _many_. The mansion Tooth owned was _gigantic_, elaborate and spacious.

Jack nodded. "Yep."

Aster shook his head as Jack popped the 'p' and he then knocked on the glass door by the dinner table, jarring Tooth and North from their seats inside and they both stood to open the door. They invited him in for dinner, but Aster had to decline. He had a lot of work he still needed to do and he had to spend tomorrow ensuring the eggs made it through the chill that had encased his Warren thanks to Jack. As he was about to walk away he halted and turned on his heel to knock on the glass again. Jack was just inside and he turned, surprise on his face before he re-opened the door.

"Yea?" He asked.

"Ya forgot this." Aster placed the unpainted googie in Jack's hand. "It's not done up, but the fact that it's walkin' round means its ready and if Ah keep it it'll spoil. Enjoy."

With that Aster stepped back, tapped his still bare foot on the soil, and sidestepped into his tunnel. He kicked off his shorts when he hit the bottom, shifted forms, and took the tunnel the way it was _supposed_ to be taken—in full Pooka form at break neck speeds.

* * *

As always, let me know if I missed anything/fucked something up. I'm not perfect, never have been. Now I'm going to try to sleep. I got I think maybe 3 hours last night? Pffft. Also you guys do read the Author Notes...right? I usually try to keep you guys updated with stuff through those :)


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Rise of the Guardians, yadda, yadda, yadda...

To **Shanatic**: I'll take the hint I achieved what I wanted to with that Chapter :) Also I read your Author's comments in My Regular- I got such strange look from my mother as I sat there rolling on the floor laughing like a loon. I have a feeling if we got in a room together it might explode from just general...us-ness haha. I like you, you're my type of silly.

To **kcr**: Good, I'm glad someone's affirmed that they read the A/N...more Jack/Bunny on the way after this Chapter...I think.

To **Guest** (I shall name you **FredBob**): Yea Bunny's got himself an unidentified crush and he dun know it yet XD...and well Jack is Jack-I'm not going to spoil that even though ya'll know it's comin.

To **Kayla**: Mainly I like the idea of torturing Jack by making him have to guess what Bunny is. I can't stand charades myself most of the time but the idea that Bunny has officially admitted that he is masquerading around as a Hareman and now can always torture Jack by making him take a stab at what he is just tickles my funny bone.

**A/N**: Normally, I dedicate these Chapters to you guys the readers and the reviewers. But today I'm dedicating this Chapter to my cat, who I had owned for 15 years, who was hit by a car this morning and passed away. I love you guys who view and review, but I also loved my cat who went through some of the toughest years of my life with me and was there to be the body I needed to hug everyday after a tough day, even on the good days.

Enjoy this Chapter, I hope. It's kinda red-tape-ish and gets into some of the things Kayla wanted me to go into. Summary at bottom if you need it.

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Chapter 5: Government and DMV Woes

Aster had ignored the initial knock he heard on his door, figuring it was Ms. Hubbard giving him her usual 7:45am courtesy knock. So he had curled back into his blankets, nuzzled his nose into the pillows and got ready to nod off again before another knock sounded—but this time it didn't stop after just the one knock. No, it kept going and eventually evolved into a beat.

Aster's right ear stood upright and then swiveled to the right the second he heard the second knocking using his bedroom door as their own personal drum set. He cracked an eye and glared towards the clock on the nightstand. It was nearing eight in the morning and he was _exhausted_. This week had been literal _hell _for him and it started the morning after Jack and Tooth's visit to his Warren. He had spent most of his late night into early mornings expelling an immeasurable amount of magic into his Warren to coax the plants in the section that Jack's snow had hit back to life. It took a _lot _to re-awaken them back into their more permanent Spring-like states of living from their closed up Winter-like hibernation's. From there he only got about five hours of sleep before he had to head to the steakhouse where anything that _could _have gone wrong _did_. He had mixed up orders, spilled every drink he got his hands on and to top it all off his co-workers had decided this week was a _great_ week to skip out on work—which in turn took away his damn breaks.

It was a theme for the rest of the week, which was why his temperament was especially short of late. He was worn out from a combination of expelling _way_ too much magic and then dealing with the stress of working at the steakhouse—not to mention it was the first of February and he now officially only had about two months until the rush of preparing for Easter. His irritation with this entire week was spilling over into this morning, which was why he had chosen to remain in bed instead of waking up soon as his internal clock told him the sun was up. That and he had, thankfully, fixed his Warren last night so he didn't have _that _burden anymore on his shoulders.

However, that didn't stop him from growling in agitation at whoever was knocking on his fucking door at eight in the morning. Especially after the week hehad.

He pushed from the bed, stumbling from the sheets he had cocooned himself into in a makeshift nest-like bedding and tugging on the navy blue robe on the door's hanger before he pried it open. His mood dipped further when none other than Pitch stood on the other side.

Aster narrowed his eyes towards the shade, taking in his usual darkly clothed figure before stepping aside—his body tensing as Pitch stepped through the doorway and into his bedroom at his silent invitation.

"What the hell do ya want at eight in the bloody morning?" Aster snapped irritably.

"Careful rabbit." Pitch warned in a clipped tone. He watched as Pitch's gaze went to his bed and he watched the corner of Pitch's mouth twitch upwards before he turned his gaze back to Aster. "I came by to see if you want some help today with renewing your Registration form."

Aster's form halted halfway to the dresser and he groaned, slapping his hand to his forehead as he remembered it was nearing time to update his information in the Supernatural database at both the Government Center _and _the DMV. He turned on his heel and paced over to his small closet, kneeling down and tossing a few things aside as they sat on top of the wooden box that held his information—all of which held varying lies to it. In the scheme of things, though, it was nothing more than a _few_ white lies on paper. They weren't anything too serious…at least to him. He set away to digging through the paperwork there, a birth certificate that held his birthday as being April 28th with a U/C for his birth year—which just meant they couldn't put an exact date on his birth year, his Social Security number for the States and then his Registration form that gave him a Species that the Humans could clump him in with to appease their sensibilities.

His eyes darted to the expiration dates at the bottom of the Registration form, which was the most important form in the entire pile and of course it expired today…_of course_. Without that form up to date it made all the other bits of information he had—his Driver's license and Social Security number for example—moot until he renewed it. It was official; this week couldn't get much worse. Not only was his week utter shit, but now he had to take a trip to the Government Center, renew his information, and then go to the DMV to turn in the updated copy of his form and renew them there…this was a _sure_ way to take the cake for worst week of the year.

"How'd ya know Ah needed ta renew it?" Aster asked, looking to Pitch over his shoulder with a raised brow. "Not even Ah remembered Ah had ta renew it until ya brought it up and Ah had ta check."

Pitch smirked, holding up his own folder and waving it in the air between them. "Because you and I both applied on the same day not a hundred years ago…remember? I dragged your ass with me when you _finally_ decided to join the world?"

Aster huffed, pushing himself to his feet using the edges of the shoebox and grabbing up a pair of jeans and a hunter green shirt as he rushed into his bathroom. He changed quickly, brushed his teeth or else Tooth would've killed him and then grabbed up the box and closed the lid—tucking it under his arm as he grabbed his wallet, cell phone and keys from the dresser.

He sucked in a sharp breath and halted at his door. He faced Pitch, raised his brows expectantly and then motioned towards the door with the arm that held the box—waving it when he finished motioning towards the door.

"We'll take my car, shall we?" Pitch stepped through the doorway and pivoted on his heel, clasping his hands behind his back in the hallway while holding the folder with his paperwork in it.

Aster stared at Pitch, "Ya can't be serious?"

Pitch's brows rose on his forehead in disbelief. "What, you would prefer to walk?"

Aster frowned. "Yes, Ah would actually."

Pitch shook his head, smirking. "Come on, nothing bad is going to happen."

It was Aster's turn to shake his head. "Ya said that a hundred years ago as well and ya _still_ managed ta nearly give me a heart attack. Ah don't know if Ah can handle yer driving _and _the crowds."

"Bunny, I _will _scruff you." Pitch replied as they reached the front door. He then halted briefly with a quick laugh. "And that man was a _horrible_ driver. That and cars today are much smoother."

Aster glared at Pitch, absently rubbing his neck with his free hand as he passed Pitch to get outside with the memory of Pitch having to scruff him in this Human shape a hundred years ago—mainly he grabbed hold of the back of his neck and didn't let go. Aster had been unfamiliar with the Human shape, jumpy and _surrounded_ by people of every shape and size. The crowds at the Government center and the DMV always stressed Aster out, but on his first real day out into the world he had become so anxious and nervous about them that he had nearly bolted. Hell he _almost _had bolted if Pitch wouldn't have scruffed him back then. Unfortunately it appeared that Pitch apparently planned on continuing that policy, which was both a good and a bad thing.

It was good because it ensured that he got his paperwork renewed, bad because it just made Aster temperamental and furious with Pitch. He knew it was for his own good at times, but he _hated _being handled like a bloody animal—even if he _did _resembled one in his true form.

Aster climbed into Pitch's BMW, taking a moment to marvel at the smooth interior before he grasped for the seat belt and buckled in. He tucked the box that held his information between his feet on the floor, grabbed the handle above the window and closed his eyes. He grit his teeth, flinching whenever the car turned or halted suddenly.

"Bunny do you _have_ to do that?" Pitch murmured absently.

"Do what?" He whined out, freezing when he realized exactly _what _he _may_ have been doing.

"That." Pitch supplied as Bunny cracked an eye to glance over at him. "You're whining like a puppy."

"Ah can't help it. Between yer driving and North's bloody sleigh Ah always fear fer mah life." He griped. He tilted his head back and sucked in a sharp breath, his stomach churning briefly as he remembered the last time North had talked him into a 'sleigh' ride that had turned into him face first in the porcelain god for an hour because the world wouldn't stop spinning. He groaned, deciding to take his mind off the fact that unless he was driving, he really didn't do well in cars. "How'd…how'd ya meet Jacky?"

Pitch shrugged, taking a right and pulling into the parking lot of the large Government Center where the usual small crowd of Human protesters sat idly by with signs outright denying them their access into _their _society. Though most Humans were fine with Supernaturals, there was always going to be that small group that weren't.

It was why this whole system was established, it was a way to appease the majority and annoy that small minority by making them legal citizens in their world, and that really annoyed the Humans who didn't think it was right to share the world. The Government Center was here where _most _of the work was put in for Supernatural kind. It was run by both Human and Supernaturals and was nothing more than a place where those who wanted to live a life—at least legally—went to apply for their papers. Usually it required proof of previous life, for Pitch it was his 'Boogeyman' status and for Aster it was thanks to Mother Nature stepping in and putting her foot down. _She _was the one who assured the Government that Aster was the Herald of Spring, the new Easter Bunny since the last had renounced his position with his untimely death and to prove it she had frozen over an office plant and had Aster bring it back to life. It was, once again, all lies—but nobody would be hurt with that information and Aster's secret was still tucked away safely.

Thankfully, they didn't have to repeat that 'Proof' process. Once it was recorded that was it, and should the world ever need your particular talents you were called upon with a hefty paycheck for your troubles. Unfortunately, anything Aster could do, Mother Nature could do better. So he never had to step forward to help with anything drastic as of yet.

Pitch and Aster made their way through the building, Pitch halting every few moments to give people autographs or take a brief photo with them. Aster ground his teeth, choosing to push forward through the growing crowd to go stand in line. He got three fourths the way through it when Pitch sidled up next to him, clamped a hand on his shoulder that made him tense and then tugged him from the line. Aster balked, stumbling as he was practically yanked off his feet and pulled to the side. Pitch led him to another line, one that was much shorter and seemed to move at a faster pace.

"What the hell?" He sneered towards Pitch.

"_That _line doesn't hold our reserved time slot. _This _one does." Pitch shot back. Aster glanced around, relieved to be away from the more packed line, but still feeling panic beginning to set in. He _really _needed to work on his anxiety. He jumped when he felt Pitch's hand on his shoulder tighten and winced when those digits clawed dangerously in order to hold him in place. "Didn't you ask me something earlier?"

Aster gulped, shaking his head as his ears fell back and he tried to remember what he had asked earlier. "Jack…how'd ya meet 'im?"

"Ah yes." Pitch nodded, making sure his hand never left Aster's shoulder and keeping it _firmly_ in place along with him. "Well, we were in Russia and our front man had just walked—you remember Atlas, right?"

Aster nodded. "Merman, grew legs and walked around with his beady eyes. Ah didn't see how all the sheila's liked him. He smelled like fish."

Pitch smirked, glancing down to him again as they stepped forward. "Well turns out his voice had a certain 'magic' to it that lured people in like a Siren's song. We were actually about to get in trouble for him doing that illegally. Not that we _knew _he was going it though."

"Well ya aren't supposed ta use yer powers against people—he _was _registered, wasn't he?" Aster asked, curiosity peeked when it came to that bit of information. "Ya do know if he wasn't registered then the lot of ya could be jailed, aware or not of the bloke using his powers."

Pitch nodded. "He was registered; we made it a requirement when we started the band. Apparently he didn't _care _that it was against the law, he just wanted the money and attention." Pitch's face grew dark for a moment and Aster took a big step away from him before his movement was halted by the hand that was firmly clamped on his shoulder. Pitch's face shifted back from that dark edge and he sighed. "Anyways, we ran into Jack in Russia when he was trying to sneak into the VIP rooms…again, just after Atlas walked."

Aster snorted. "Again?"

Pitch nodded, handing over his folder when they reached the window and then beckoned for Aster's box. Instead of handing the box to Pitch he gave it to the man behind the window. He froze when he remembered the guy that sat there. He had been there a hundred years ago when Aster had first applied and he had been the one to outright sweep some of the more shady bits of his lacking information under the doormat. Manny was aware that some individuals didn't want to expunge _all_ their information for certain reasons and he, usually a good judge of character, would often times help them without asking for anything in return.

"Manny!" He shouted somewhat excitedly. "Hey, mate, how've ya been?"

The man's shoulders shrugged as he shifted through the paperwork in front of him. "Could be better, can't get much worse. Am I renewing Registration forms?"

"That you are." Pitch replied as Manny dug said papers out and stood from the counter, stepping into the back. Pitch turned back to Aster. "As I was saying Jack got caught sneaking in again and it just so happens the Frost Sprite had a pair of vocal cords on him. Has a voice as powerful and as smooth as the very wind that carries him. He's also got quite the skill with a piano."

"Really?" Aster's brows rose high on his head, ears perking up. "He plays the _piano_?"

Manny drew their attention by opening the door and waving them into the back. "Need updated photos you two."

Aster and Pitch followed into the back room. It was the same thing every 100 years for their kind. Sit in a waiting room for _hours_, unless Pitch was doing his scarily prepared bit like today and had a reserved time slot, on end waiting to get in to see one of the many Supernatural Social Registrars to get their information renewed, basic questions re-affirmed and then a renewed photo to accompany the updated information. The reason they updated every hundred years was in part due to some of the Supernaturals changing their appearances every hundred years. Pheonix's, for example, had a lifespan of 100 years and when they died and were rebirthed their features changed. Not to mention there were a few other beings that could shift their shapes and chose to do so every hundred years. Aster _could_ shift his shape, he just hated having to get use to each new form—which was why he had stuck with the Hareman shape soon as he got used to it.

Manny, thankfully, made the entire mess go through fairly quickly. He was efficient, always had a knowing look to his eye when it came to Aster and got them out within what felt like record times. Aster tucked his box back under his arm, realizing he really _should_ get a folder like Pitch as he buckled back into Pitch's car and took in a sharp breath of air when Pitch backed from his parking spot.

To take his mind off the panic gripping his chest as Pitch drove Aster glanced over at him. "So Ah'm assuming the band's doing well? Or did ya lose a good size of yer fan base with the change?"

Pitch smirked. "We're actually doing _better_ with Jack than we had been with Atlas. He's much more…charming than Atlas was. Reason being, of course, that he doesn't have to rely on his inherent magic to make him so like Atlas had too."

"So Atlas was a cu—?"

Pitch snorted out a laugh, interrupting him. "That's an accurate description, yes."

They drove in silence for a few more minutes before Pitch pulled into the DMV where not even _his_ knack for being prepared could've helped them with the wait there. Aster had to step outside frequently as they sat around for four hours in the cramped seating area there before finally being shown into the back where yet another photo was taken in place of a fingerprint scan for Aster since his Human shape didn't have them—and he wasn't the only being where that was an issue—and then all the forms were updated. Aster was handed his renewed ID and Social Security card, all the bells and whistles attached. He tucked his driver's license away, a thick red line splitting it down the center to prove that he was over the age of 21 for the State's drinking laws.

"You're still registered as part of the Sydney pack of Haremen?" Pitch mused as they walked out of the building.

"Yes, Ah am." He shot back, his ears twitching as they picked up the noises from the City's streets.

They stepped towards Pitch's car before Pitch halted, gripping Aster's shirt again and tugging him off to the side. Aster was about to yell at him before he realized there was a crowd of people around Pitch's car. Aster sighed, but perked up when he saw a familiar head of snow white hair in the crowd.

"Can he _not _do that near my car?" Pitch griped, crossing his arms and glaring.

Aster smirked, watching as Jack pushed off from the ground with a quick gust of wind that sent dirt and leaves onto Pitch's car. "He seems ta deal with the crowds well."

Pitch's shoulder lifted. "He does well enough. Just hides up on a high perch when he needs a break—like now." He then turned and faced Aster. "I hope you tell him what you are soon. I'm tired of him re-arranging my bookcase trying to figure out _what_ you are since Google hasn't turned anything of use up yet."

Aster shook his head, laughing. "Not a chance, mate. If he guesses it, fine, but till then he's best _not _knowin'."

"And why is that?" Pitch asked as the crowd turned when Jack's gaze went to them and a smile cracked his face.

Aster shrugged. "Because there's going ta be a day where mah time's finally up—hell it should have been up a millennia ago—and the world would probably be better off knowing mah kind never even existed and that one lucky bastard had just found another Big Foot that turned out to be a Yeti." He then winced when Pitch's face faltered, the edges of his lips turning downward. "Sorry…Ah know _you_ didn't do it, Koz."

Pitch glanced over to him briefly before he murmured, "Yes, that may be correct but you and I will never have the same relationship we had when you were younger. I'll never be your 'brother' again because the thing that overshadowed me left its undeniable fingerprints all over me, and the fact that they're _very _visible only manages to scare you and remind you of what _it_ did with _my_ body."

Aster crossed his arms, keeping his box between his arms and chest. His ears dipped as he remembered Pitch before, back when he _was _Koz. He had been the only being that wasn't Pooka to be integrated into their closed up society, earning the title of 'brother' instead of being considered an outsider. Koz had been the man who made it into their family circle without needing to be born into it or of the same species, which made the overshadowing and betrayal cut especially deep.

Instead of responding Aster stayed silent as the crowds began to grow around Pitch soon as Jack landed next to them with a cold gust and a scattering of dirt and leaves around their feet. Normally Jack's smile was infectious but the subject that had just been brought up was the only thing that could make it so that Jack's infectious smile failed. It was a sad realization that not even that unique smile could cure it. Soon the crowds became too much for Aster as they began to raise voices in squeals and screams that made Aster's teeth start to hurt in their pitch. He slipped off through the crowd, hiding behind a bush to summon up a tunnel and head home to change for work.

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**Summary**:

One: Government Center is where all Supernautrals must go to register. Registration requires proof of previous life (unique powers, proving myths around them right or prominent figurehead vouching for them—like Mother Nature). Registration papers, once acquired, contain their unique information and require a renewal every 100 years else their citizenship is moot and, should it be required, jail time is to be served for negligence. (This I didn't mention by the way in the above but thought of it as I typed this out) Only way to avoid jail time is to apply for a 'Hibernating' permit that allows them to skip the renewal process but still keep their information on the database for when they are ready to return to society—if ever.

Two: All information is based solely around the Registration Papers. Papers to be updated at DMV where officials can digitally access info without Supers needing to carry around their paperwork 24/7 (especially since its fairly important paperwork). Pictures are a must if fingerprints unavailable.

**A/N Cont: **I'm debating asking you guys a question about this story or just outright running with my own idea...I'm thinking outright running with it because its fun to surprise people. Anyways, I'm going to go mourn for a few hours and play Terraria mindlessly till I'm ready to write again. Fuck this day went downhill quickly.


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Rise of the Guardians, yadda, yadda, yadda...

To **Queenofcrack97**: First off that name of yours is hilarious. Secondly, I love the RotG universe but I also like to twist things- especially since the characters in that universe are so pliable. Hopefully this chapter keeps this story going :)

To **yey (guest)**: Thank you :) This story I've actually reeled back a _lot _of my regular writing. Sure I've got the small details, but I'm trying to focus purely on Jack/Bunny since I'm really bad at Romance and I really do need to practice it. Imagine, this story was going to rot in my flash drive as yet another story that I was writing to kill writer's block.

To **Shanatic**: Baby we've come a long way and you know you're beyond the friendzone. So when's the wedding? Early Winter good for you? Make sure the reception has those Halloween flavored Jaffa Cakes (lucky bitch).

To **Cat871**: My goddness, thank you for taking the time to review! Really I appreciate it, I know 99% of the website is busy with their own things right now so I'm sending non-stop gratitude towards you for leaving me some lovin' :) Just take your time with Manny's, Jack and Bunny take awhile to kinda get rolling in that one. Thanks for letting me know you're reading it too!

Finally to **Kayla**: I'm glad I covered what you wanted me too! It took me a few hours to sort out what exactly the procedure was, but then i remembered Jury duty, DMV visits and the trips to my City's Government center and I had all the shit I needed with a few extra bells and whistles added in :) I know Bunny isn't normally so jumpy, but that's the way he's portrayed in this particular story. He's still a badass, but he's a lot like me in the regard to claustrophobic settings that are based around crowds of people (shudders). So now you're going to think: 'well how's he going to handle the concerts?' (grabs popcorn to watch).

**A/N**: You guys should thank Shanatic for this Chapter being released today. She's a pushy broad who demanded this Chapter today ;) Anyways, as always I hope you guys enjoy this Chapter. I'm on the fence about it...but at the same time I like parts of it. OH and by the way I think the internet is right when it comes to Groundhog day being Feb 2, so that's when Hog's holiday is- tomorrow (next Chapter). I could be wrong, but for this story let's just stick with that :D

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Chapter 6: The List Continues

Aster walked into work just _barely _making it on time that night. He had ducked off earlier that day to avoid any further screaming fans of _both _genders—he didn't know males could _get _that high of a tone—once he had finished registering himself and he noticed both Pitch and Jack's attentions were diverted with the need to converse with their fans. Figuring their fans would probably take up the rest of their day Aster had decided the best thing to do would be to duck off. Sure, it wasn't very friendly, but Aster wasn't going to risk getting involved in that mess just to say a brief goodbye, especially when he still needed to get to their place tonight to collect the gems that Tooth and Jack had taken off with last week.

He stepped up to the first table in his section that night and allowed it to set the stage for the rest of the evening. He pulled out his notepad, glanced at the two people at the table and gave them his practiced waiter smile.

"G'day mates." He stated, watching as the woman's eyes lit with humor briefly. He was ready for anything by that point. Was she going to irritate him and ask him what he was doing working there, or was she going to let it slip by without mentioning it—which would immediately earn her Brownie points in his book for better service. "What can Ah start ya both off with fer yer beverages?"

"I'll have a coffee please." The woman said, the very woman who he swore was going to comment on his accent, pleasantly.

"I'll have a water please." The male stated.

Aster nodded, glancing to the woman briefly and feeling courteous for once since she made _no_ mention of his accent even though it was noticed. "Would ya like room fer cream?"

She nodded and he turned, heading to get the drinks requested. As he filled the coffee, someone having already made a fresh pot thankfully, his nose scrunched up as he smelled dirt. Sure enough, there was Hog sauntering up to him with a smug smirk on his face. Aster frowned, glancing at him as he poured the hot coffee—with extra care, because he had spilled coffee on his hands all bloody week and he didn't want another burn on his hand.

"Guess what tomorrow is." Hog stated, that smug look carrying into his tone.

"It's the day ya finally realize yer never going ta be the man yer mother was?" He questioned in return.

Hog glared at him and then crossed his arms. "It's my Holiday, ass."

Aster snorted out a laugh and shook his head. "Ah'm aware, mate." He picked up the mug of coffee and the glass of water after he filled it and started towards his tables. "Tomorrow lookin' ta be a big day?"

Hog shrugged. "They're going the festival route again and I've had my hands full ever since the City brought it up. Oh and that Antarctic Blizzard band is apparently playing there too—some charity gig for the kids." Hog then grinned. "Going to be a big day, close enough in comparison to yours that Easter might lose some of its flare!"

Aster threw his head back and laughed. "Like _that_ would ever happen, mate."

"Least he doesn't bribe kids with chocolates." Jack stated, making Aster jump and whip around while Groundhog started laughing.

"Kid, that was a good one." He rapped Jack on the shoulder and stepped past after nudging Aster while saying: "I like him."

Aster glared after Hog before he sent that glare to Jack who merely leaned forward onto the halfway wall with a shit eating smirk again. Aster feigned hurt as he said: "Jacky, Ah'm hurt."

"Oh no you're not." Jack shot back chuckling.

Aster nodded. "Yer right, cause Ah'm going ta feel much better after Ah kick yer ass."

Jack straightened, his eyes widening in worry briefly before Aster just walked past. Aster shook his head after looking at Jack's face, set with a worry that made him realize his threats were still exactly that—threats. Good…at least he _should _have felt good about that. What he hated was the mixed feelings associated with Jack believing his threat. Yea he wanted Jack to believe his threats, but he wanted Jack to know that anything related to physical injury wasn't going to be _followed through _with…even if Jack _was_ annoying as hell.

He knew Jack followed him once he stepped past, even with the threat still in the air and could feel his cold presence behind him, nearly crashing into Jack when he turned to get the creamers he'd forgot. Aster gripped Jack by his shoulders when they nearly crashed and physically moved him to the side before stepping past to grab the creamers. He turned around and nearly crashed into Jack again. His shoulders slumped and he glared towards Jack.

"Jack, mate, get out of the way ya hoon!" He nearly shouted but kept it to a low hissing that held a threat. "Ah'm workin'. Now scoot!"

"You're _always_ working!" Jack whined from behind him. "Don't you ever have _fun_?"

"Ah will have _fun_," With that Aster turned and leaned forward, pointing towards the Hostess' podium, "when Ah have enough money stored up ta actually _have_ fun. Off with ya now, Ah need ta work."

Jack threw his hands up into the air and stomped off. Aster turned back to the table and took their appetizer orders before stalking off from there and heading off to another table in his section to start their drink orders before dropping off the appetizer order. He continued doing these little rounds and frowned when he got to the next table and found Jack grinning up at him from one of the booths in his section.

"Ya got'ta be kiddin' me." He griped, skipping his usual greeting. "What do ya want ta drink Jack?"

"Hrm…" Jack pursed his lips, picking up the menu and giving it a good, long and drawn out, gander before Aster crossed his arms and tapped his foot.

"Mate, yer not makin' a grand decision 'ere. It's a bloody drink, not a life or death situation." He rolled his eyes when Jack finally nodded.

"I'll just take a Pepsi."

"Coke fine?" Aster asked, glancing up to see Jack's head bob in a nod. "Ya want ta give me yer appetizer too?"

"Bloomin Onion!" Jack bounced in his seat like a kid.

"A'right, mate, calm down." Aster shook his head, grinning before Jack waved for him and halted his walk. "Hm?"

"Basilisk." He stated suddenly, eyes wide.

"What now?"

"Are you a Basilisk?" Jack clarified.

"Do Ah look like a lizard?" Aster deadpanned. Then he raised his brows and nodded, "Though Ah got'ta be honest being able ta kill people with a look would be grand."

"We wouldn't have a population left if you had that power and since last time I checked we had a _lot _of people on this planet—I'm just going to cross that off the list." Jack supplied, sighing and digging out a crumbled sheet of paper and a pen from the pocket of his hoodie. Aster watched as he crossed that off and wondered how he even came to _that_ conclusion. "Let's see…"

"Mate! Work! Ah'll be back round and ya can ask me then." Aster said, keeping his tone fairly neutral.

He went about to the rest of the tables that had filled up fairly quickly as the dinner rush set in. When he got a chance he dropped by to check on Jack who set in a dinner order about the fourth time Aster had looped by to check on him while he was asked at least two Supernatural beings in the process before he had to dash off to attend to his other tables. He took orders, served so many drinks and plates that he had a hard a hard time keeping track of and was just finishing his rounds before Pudge came by to give him a short break.

"Thanks." He stated, relieved to finally get a chance to take a well deserved break—especially after the week he had. He and Pudge walked over to Jack's table after having gone to the others and Aster soon tapped the top of it, making Jack look up at him. "Ah'm on break. If ya need anythin' Pudge here will get it fer ya."

"Where are you going?" Jack asked, blinking those big blue eyes up at him.

"On break ya dill." Aster replied. "Ah'm going ta grab some fresh air. Just stay put."

Jack's shoulders slumped and Aster crossed his arms. What was he acting all depressed about?

"Jack," Aster's tone had exhaustion laced through it, "Ah need ta take a break _outside_. Ah need some fresh air. Ah'll be right back in ten minutes."

Jack sighed and nodded, running his hand through his hair and beginning to twirl the pen he held between his fingers. Aster clapped his shoulder as he walked past and headed for the employee exit. He stepped outside into the cool air and immediately breathed a sigh of relief as he let his ears sit atop his head proudly, the muscles around them feeling a million times better since they were finally able to relax in the _proper_ way. He leaned against the wall of the building and squatted down, sucking in relaxing—if not chilled—breaths of air.

He clasped his hands together in front of his face and blew hot air into them in a vain attempt to keep them warm. He eventually crossed his arms as he looked out in the open wooded area in front of him. He thought about Hog's big day tomorrow and actually worried Hog might be right about his prediction. What if Easter _did_ fall onto the backburner for people? He'd have to get really inventive this year to try to upstage the dirty bastard. He frowned, chewing on his bottom lip in thought before he shook it off.

Easter wasn't about being showy and upstaging a rival—even if North _did_ bait him into that argument frequently. It was about bringing in the Spring season and rejuvenating the world while establishing hope for a new start. Aster stood from his crouch and walked back over to the employee door, unable to stand the cold anymore. He stepped into the steakhouse and his mood dipped briefly with the reminder of _where_ he was walking back into as he took in the dimly lit building and booths until he saw Jack's head of white and he found himself becoming elated with the idea of conversing with him again—but first he had to get back to his tables.

Aster made his rounds and was relieved to know that the dinner rush was beginning to pass. He _should_ have been irritated with Jack who held up one of his tables and affected his income, but he found himself just enjoying the exchanges they had whenever he went to refill his drink or ask him how his meal was going. He noticed that Jack was spending more time crossing off things on the list than he was eating and without his constant reminding Jack never would have finished his meal.

Finally Aster's section was clearing out and he rapped his knuckles on the table in front of Jack. He pointed to the seat across from him and those blue orbs brightened as he nodded feverently. Aster sat down before he turned sideways and lounged across the seat. He could take five minutes to sit with Jack…right?

"I got a good one." Jack shifted in his seat, sitting just a little bit higher in his seat as he stabbed a fork with potatoes on it towards Aster.

Aster warily looked at the fork, nodding. "Aye a 'good one', just make sure ya don't spray it in the process."

Jack glanced to the fork and he nodded with a quick grin as he put the fork down. "Dryad."

Aster's brows rose on his forehead. "Jack that—"

"I knew it!" Jack shouted triumphantly.

Aster frowned, shaking his head and glaring towards Jack. "Ah wasn't done, mate. Ah was going ta say yer somewhat close."

"I'm getting warmer?" He asked, his eyes sparkling with glee.

Aster shrugged. "Yer sorta on the right track. Not a Dryad though."

"Elf?"

"Too broad." Aster replied. "Think outside the box, mate."

"Outside…" Jack trailed off and Aster excused himself to go check on his tables once more. He halted when Jack sucked in a breath. "Fairy or Fae?"

"Kinda, that isn't what I meant by _outside of the box _though." Aster turned away after pointing his index towards Jack.

He chuckled again when he heard the silverware on Jack's table sing the song of the annoyed individual as Jack's head once again met the table followed by that irritated groan. He went back to his tables and refilled drinks where he needed too along with clearing tables and wiping them down when he finished with them. He hauled up a tub of dishes into his arm and walked past Jack again who waved for him to stop, nearly falling out of the booth in the process.

"Jack be careful!" Aster snapped in a chastising voice. "Ah don't want ta have ta clean yer blood up off the floor and sell yer teeth ta Tooth."

Jack tilted his head, a smirk crossing his features. "You'd sell my teeth to Tooth?"

"She's probably nutters fer yer teeth, mate." Aster told him. "Teeth as white and perfect as yers? Bet she's got her hand in yer mouth every morning soon as she sees ya, doesn't she?"

Jack blushed briefly and nodded. "Yea…she _does_ do that."

Aster nodded, ignoring that he'd just complimented Jack—and that Jack had _blushed_ in response. "On with it, this is gettin' heavy."

"Hinkypink."

Aster straightened, blinking in confusion. "The hell is a Hinkypink?"

"Will-o-wisp." Jack suggested. "Jack-o-Lanterns or Hobby Lanterns—those are more country based names."

"Nope." Aster stepped forward and chuckled when he heard Jack's aggravated growl behind him.

There was _no way_ he should be taking as much amusement as he was out of Jack's misery when it came to figuring out what he was. He wondered how long his friends would hold out before they finally broke down and told Jack what he was. As it was he knew Pitch's patience was wearing thin if earlier today was anything to go by. He wondered how long before North, the actual softie of the group, finally broke down and told Jack. He had a feeling North was going to be the weakest link.

He finished up his tables and cleaned up Jack's plates as well. He looped back to Jack's table after removing the dishes, him being the last person in his section for the night, and pulled out his notepad.

"Anything else? Kitchen's closing soon and ya might as well get yerself some dessert since ya've hogged up a table in mah section all bloody night." He told him with a teasing tone.

Jack nodded with a quick grin. "Carrot cake."

"A'right Ah'll get that order in fer ya." He was about to walk off but halted the second he saw Jack move. "What?"

"I got it! You're a big eyed, big headed green alien!" Jack shouted triumphantly from his seat.

Aster raised a brow, trying to hide the smile that wanted to lift his lips, and walked forward while he tapped Jack on the head with his notepad. "Close, mate, but no cigar!"

"Gah!" Jack groaned in defeat again and the sounds of silverware vibrating on the table as Jack's head met it made Aster laugh yet again. He dropped off the order and took up his spot across from Jack again as he leaned forward, nothing hampering his path this time as he leaned halfway across the table. "So…Fae is close, but so is—I'm assuming—an alien?"

Aster shrugged, raising a brow. "Yer thinkin' along the right trails, but the hard part's going ta be finding the name."

"How is _that_ going to be the hard part?" Jack asked, crossing his arms. "I don't know of many Fae like Aliens, seems like a pretty narrow fucking topic to search for."

Aster smiled smugly to him. He wasn't about to tell Jack that the name 'Pooka' wasn't associated with the alien label that actually applied to him. No, Pooka had been chucked in with the extinct column of the vegetation based Fae at the moment, which meant it wouldn't turn up in any searches that Jack was looking for—and Jack seemed intent on looking for the 'living' Supernaturals that weren't bordering on extinct, or even in the extinct column. Jack had cut out a list of possible names for Aster's kind by simply refusing to acknowledge that Aster's kind might not even be in the 'living' section. Aster grinned towards Jack and once again Jack gave pause, making Aster worry yet again.

"Ya a'right?" He asked, waving a hand in front of Jack's face as his smile faltered in his worry. Aster watched as Jack shook his head briefly as he thought to himself, _Does Jack normally space out this often?_

Jack's head bobbed up and down, crumbling up the sheet of paper he held and tossing it onto the table with disgust. "Yea…just wish I could figure out what you _are_."

"Why's it matter?" Aster asked with a shrug.

"Because I feel like I'm the stranger at a party!" Jack grumped, leaning back and crossing his arms. Aster laughed lightly at Jack's pouting, which he was _sure_ made his female fans flip. "I just…I want to know is all."

Aster rolled his eyes. "Yer not left out at all, Jack, it's all in yer noggin. Stop frettin' over it. There's yer order, be right back."

Aster stood and walked over to get Jack's order. He walked back and placed it in front of Jack, bringing him a new set of silverware since he had made a mess of the last batch. Jack took a bite, looking unimpressed as he chewed while tilting his head back and forth, his brows knitting together in thought. Geez, Jack was _always_ moving in some way.

"I'm just sahyn—" Aster held up his hand and Jack looked towards him. "Huh?"

"Chew, mate." Aster smirked. "Chew yer food first." Jack set away to finishing the bite he took and Aster cleared his throat. "Where'd ya get the Alien idea? That's a pretty far jump from where ya were."

Jack shrugged, swallowing the bite down and readying another. "You said, and I quote, 'Think outside the box', so I did. Outer space is pretty far outside of this box."

"More like nearly outside the galaxy." Aster replied, letting his ears perk up due to a growing headache.

"Speaking of things being outside of this galaxy—" Jack drawled, his face getting a dangerous look to it. "You interested in going to the Groundhog Festival tomorrow with me?"

Aster choked on the breath of air he had just taken in. Jack, on the other hand, choked on the bite of cake he had just taken after finishing that sentence and reached for his glass of water and began gulping it down, lifting a panicked hand and waving it between them before ending it with an index finger in the air. Aster blinked at him, wide eyed and unable to believe what he had just heard—_from Jack_.

"I meant—" Jack coughed more, his eyes watering as he coughed and sputtered a bit more before he sucked in a labored breath, "—I meant do you want to go _as friends_. With _all of _us. Not like you and I only on a _date_."

Aster sighed, physically relaxing and placing a hand on his face, rubbing it earnestly. He was pretty sure all of his friends—and now that small list included Jack too—were trying to give him a heart attack…he was old enough to die from that, right? He nodded after Jack clarified what he meant. He could stand going to Groundhog's festival with Jack _and _his friends.

"Yea Ah'll go with ya tomorrow."

Jack grinned happily. "Awesome. So we'll pick you up at…I don't know nine?"

"Sure." Aster pushed from his seat and grabbed the now empty plate of carrot cake. "Ya still got mah gems?"

Jack's head bobbed again as he wiped his mouth with a napkin. "Yea. Want them back?"

"Please." Aster walked off to the kitchen and disposed of the dish there; ignoring the glare the cook sent him as he hit the door. Aster glared right back at him. "Piss off it's what ya get fer skipping Thursday."

"Ass." The cook replied, washing the dish and making sure to make a show of it.

Aster rolled his eyes; turning and seeing Jack give him a wave from the door as he left. He stepped over to the table and gaped at the tip Jack had left in his wake. He collected it, splitting it with Pudge because he couldn't stand the idea that his relationship—in the _friend_ way, damnit—had an influence in its amount. Pudge at first wouldn't hear of it, but Aster told him,

"Rack off, ya need it more than Ah do fer yer rent." Aster then grinned. "Plus ya have a little ankle-bittah on the way; ya _definitely_ need it more than Ah do."

Pudge grinned, beaming. "We can't wait."

"Ah'd be excited too." Aster took off his apron, walking with Pudge to the exit and waiting with him while he locked the door.

"You want to be the Godfather? You're one of the closets things we've really got to 'family' around here and you're one of my personal best friends."

Aster's throat tightened and he nodded. "Ah'd be honored, actually."

Pudge grinned and grabbed Aster into a hug, clapping his hand on his back. Aster laughed after relaxing from the initial shock of being touched, overjoyed with the knowledge that though he wasn't going to be an _actual_ father he still had the option of being part of Pudge's child's life. They stepped back, both of them clearing their throats before they went their separate ways.

The week _may_ have sucked, but it sure ended on a good note.

* * *

Moar Terraria time as I think about the next Chapter! It's started, just need to figure out what else I want in it aside from what I already have planned...any suggestions? ;D Let me know if this is okay? Like I said I'm fairly uncertain about this particular Chapter, but it got what I wanted it to do done.


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Rise of the Guardians, yadda, yadda, yadda...

Good golly the reviews:

To **Shanatic**: I want to wear the suit! Cuz I wanna do that fancy ass french braid lookin' tie business. Flowers? Meh I'll leave that up to you and Jaffa cakes...nuff said.

To **kcr**: For you I'm an idiot and forgot to moderate your guest review and add it into the last chapter (sorry, I seem to fuck up around you and I'm so, so, sorry haha). Hermit crabs are awesome, fish- not so much...all I remember is cleaning the farkin tank three times a week...blech. I'm glad you liked my last Chapter though! Between Shanatic making me laugh and talking about Jaffa Cakes I managed to crank out a fairly funny Chapter :)

To **Queenofcrack97**: I _did_ not know that. Thanks for letting me know about it! So many acronyms I still gotta learn XD.

To **Cat871**: Thank you! I was wondering if I was hitting anyone's funny bone with those interactions. It makes me nervous when I put the story down and come back later and start laughing at my own jokes...god that's sad. I had friends drop in to interrupt my work before- it's nice, but damn annoying at the same time :D.

To **Star** **Anise**: Yea I didn't want Pitch as a bad guy in this story, but I liked when my brain came up with the idea of Pitch being the one to drag Bunny out of his Warren. I was laughing a little too hard at the image of Pitch scruffing Bunny and walking him into the Government center XD. Hog is more of just a rival-friend to Bunny, a lot like North. As for the Pudge thing? Ab-so-lutely! That's one of my favorite movies and I always liked that stupid fish XD. 10+ Brownie points for you.

To **Kayla**: I mention your Jack thing in this Chapter (are you reading my mind because I wrote this one literally an hour before your review came in) as for Jack being registered I'll be getting to that in the next Chapter. More Jack/Bunny moments to come!

To **Sticksandstones**: D'aww thanks. I'm going more for cute and funny, which I _think_ I'm doing right. But it's nice to know this story has its interesting moments- I feel like its kinda needed to add a bit of a twist to the droll of everyday life :).

To **yey** (guest): I guess we'll just have to see ;).

To **the** **black** **raven**: All in good time, learn patience :). I have a doozy of a situation set up for _that_.

Finally to **Tigermike83**: Ha! I knew I recognized your name (I'm nosey), you favorited my first ever (albeit turrible) story I wrote on this website! Holy shit hi thanks for visiting one of my stories again :D I'm glad you like this story, you might like Manny's Moonlight too (but it's _long_ and takes awhile for people to go through it). Geez I'm honored you're back again :)

**A/N**: Okay so the reviews are getting absurdly long now haha. But geez do I _love _them :) Should I move them to the bottom next Chapter? Probably should if they keep coming in at this rate. Anyways onto the actual author's notes: NO UPDATE TOMORROW! I'm sorry but I just got offered free tickets to see Panic at the Disco since a friend of a friend bailed...so that's happening. But I swear the next Chapter will be out as soon as I can get to it. It's plotted already and as I sit here I'll start typing it up before I meet up with friend to discuss details about manana.

Enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 7: Groundhog Day

"Bunny?" Aster blinked, staring at the various tents and nearly gagging as someone walked by with a deep fried Twinkie. "You okay?"

He turned his gaze from that sight to the one next to him, his mood doing somersaults. Jack gazed up at him looking a little worried before Aster managed to nod absently. The _good _part of this day stood to either side of him—his friends. The _bad _part of this day was a wombo-combo of Hog's Holiday _and _thecrowds—neither of which he handled well. Aster believed was going to be okay…maybe. He wasn't thrilled about the crowds or the reason for the festival being more focused on Hog than the actual reason for the festival—possible dawning of Spring, but he was glad that his friends were about to suffer through today as well…even if they _were_ playing a gig to benefit the entire day's worth of activities and giving the money to the Children's Charity group.

Leave it up to Hog to blow his small, fairly insignificant day, completely out of proportion. Aster ground his teeth in irritation and North was mirroring his distaste, crossing his arms.

North harrumphed next to him on his left. "He thinks his day is so important."

"Ah know!" Aster growled angrily, throwing his hands up into the air. "It's all because he _thinks_ he controls whether or not Spring comes! He doesn't know a bloody thing _about_ Spring, let alone would Ah trust someone whose scared of their own bloody shadow on a sunny day ta tell me whether or not Spring has _arrived _yet!"

Aster ignored Jack's guffawing laughter next to him and North held out his hand, to which Aster gripped it on the forearm in his version of a handshake, North adjusting and doing the same. "He is so…puffed up? Like chicken? He does not know amount of work _we _put in for _our_ Holidays! He simply digs hole and crawls from ground like worm and then scurries back in should he see shadow."

Aster grinned, nodding his head. "Ya got the chicken part right, mate—and the worm part." Aster then nudged Jack in the side when his form hunched over from laughter. "Oi, Jacky, why don't ya go freeze the exit of his tunnel over?"

"Bunny and North!" Tooth chastised with a biting tone. "Who'd have thought you two rivals would _finally _agree on something, it's just pitiful that it's the over the dislike of another's Holiday! No more!" Tooth zipped in front of them, hovering off the ground with a humming sound and giving each of them a good, solid, glare before she turned to Jack. "And you, buster, don't you even _think_ about listening to Bunny! I want you all on your best behaviors. Just because this isn't _your_ Holiday doesn't mean you don't _respect_ it."

Aster frowned and crossed his arms. He knew _exactly _what to say to make Tooth furious. "Ah'll have ya know Groundhog was thinkin' of applying fer a Tooth collecting gig as an offhand job. Ah could see him in one of yer uniforms…Ah think he'd wear it well."

Aster watched as his lie etched itself into Tooth's face as it turned a bright, angry, red and she flew off in a quick zip. North snorted out a quick laugh while Pitch face palmed and shook his head. Jack, on the other hand, was having a hard time keeping oxygen in his lungs.

Poor kid was going to die again, but from laughter. Least he'd live up to his 'Fun' title.

"I will go save Groundhog from Tooth." North muttered, hearing her high pitched questioning that was directed to Groundhog. "Pitch, do you wish to come too?"

"I have a feeling you'll need the help old friend. That and we should check to make sure the stage is set right." Pitch replied, stepping up to Aster and leaning down just enough to say, "Well played, Rabbit."

Aster's ear twitched upon hearing that and he let the left side of his lip curl upwards. Then he watched the two walk off, leaving him with Jack who was slowly recovering from his laughter. Aster waited a few more moments for Jack to finish wiping his eyes before he stepped forward to one of the many volunteers and grabbed one of their small brochures that outlined the day's events. Aster noticed Jack's white hair peeking over his arm moments later and he sighed, handing Jack the brochure he had been holding and grabbing another. There were times when Jack impersonated a child, today seemed to be that day.

"You know I tricked Groundhog into seeing his shadow one year." Jack suddenly stated, sounding smug.

"Oh really?" Aster asked, glancing at the brochure.

"Yep…bought a furry coat, duct tape pillows around myself and mimicked every movement he made because I wanted Winter to last a few more weeks." Jack looked extremely proud of himself.

"That was the year ya made Winter stick around until early March…wasn't it?" Aster let Jack see that he was impressed. "Hog try to kill you after?"

"He never found out…" Jack trailed off, his eyes widening as his mouth fell open then he asked, "Can we go on the roller coaster?"

Aster's chest tightened. He didn't do well in cars, planes, North's damn sleigh _or_ the goddamn metal monstrosities Humans had invented called 'roller coasters'. "Ahhh…rather not."

"What, you scared?" Jack goaded.

Aster frowned. "Actually, no." He crossed his arms and faced Jack glaring down at him. "Ah don't do well with motion sickness, so unless ya want ta paint that hoodie of yers in carrot orange then Ah suggest ya let sleepin' dogs lie."

"Oh come on, Bunny!" Jack pleaded. "Come on, I'll be there to hold your hand the entire time! It's not even _that_ bad. I mean…it's like a mini hill and that's it."

"Get North or Pitch ta go with ya—or Tooth, Ah'm sure she likes 'em just fine." Aster waved him off and started walking forward, wanting to go look at the landscaping exhibit that boasted a wide array of 'unique' looking yards before Hog's big moment came. "In fact why aren't ya checking the stage with Pitch and North, Ah would've thought ya'd want ta check how much room ya got fer stumbling all over yerself in an attempt ta dance."

"Well considering that I have moves like Jagger himself," With this Jack skipped ahead a few steps and did a little number that had his head bobbing before he did a quick hop, ending the small routine, "I doubt room to move is going to be a problem." Aster had walked past trying to not laugh at Jack. He turned hearing Jack whistle towards him, narrowing his eyes and doing his _damndest_ to glare at Jack as he swiveled his hips while lifting a brow and struck a ridiculous pose. "Huh? Good, right?"

"Yer a bloody show pony, that's what ya are." Aster turned on his heel letting a smirk quirk his face as he shook his head as he weaved through the crowd.

"Bunny, how about…er…bungee jumping?" Jack tried.

"No. Ah don't like heights." He murmured stopping and watching as Jack, whose gaze was directed towards all the other things around them, walked past before he hit the brakes and turned to follow Aster into the landscaping area. "Jack, Ah'm serious go bother North or Tooth…better yet go freeze Pitch fer me. If Ah need ya Ah'll call or go find ya at the stage."

Aster crouched down in front of one of the first exhibits, reading through the information packet that outlined the items used in the exhibit. He tried to ignore the chill at his back, flipping through the pages that described the exhibit. He pursed his lips when he saw a questionable pick, which was when he heard light footsteps next to him. He glanced to the right and was jarred from his position as a woman stepped up to him, smiling.

"Hi, I'm Angelique." She held out her hand, her rabbit ears proudly standing atop the crown of her head in a sable color with white tips. "I haven't seen another Hareman in here yet."

"Ah'm here fairly early, actually." Aster replied, taking the woman's hand when she offered it, but immediately putting himself on guard. He didn't trust the fact that she was here alone; Jack had been right when he said where one Hareman was another five followed. He pointed a thumb over his shoulder towards Jack. "Came with my mates who're doing that charity gig."

Aster stepped to the side and introduced Jack, who seemed _less _than thrilled with meeting the woman. He watched the two interact briefly and he looked at Angelique. She wasn't necessary _bad _looking, but she _was _a Hareman. She had her sable colored hair tied in a loose ponytail and worked her hair around her ears with bangs that covered her forehead. Her eyes were almond shaped with a hinting of make up to them that opened her eyes more than they needed. Her eyes were a brown color that held stray flecks of gold to them while her skin was tanned with small patches of white littered over her body. She wore a clean, navy blue, business dress over a curvaceous body—an _actual _curvaceous body with an hourglass shape that was filled out with just the right amount of fat to it—and on her feet she had chosen to go with a pair of sneakers over heels.

He immediately liked the woman already when he noticed her choice of footwear. She had chosen to go with flats instead of heels—especially since the other women who _hadn't_ thought that far ahead kept twisting their ankles in the wood chips and their heels knocked their center of balance off.

He took a tentative step back when she turned back to him. "So what do you think of my display?"

Aster shrugged a shoulder, turning towards the display and pointing to the right corner where she had a water heavy plant inside of the dusty, desert, landscape. "Personally, Ah'd take that plant out there and replace it with one of the more flowered Cacti, but that's just me."

He watched as Angelique pursed her lips, tapping an index finger on them and nodding. "Ya know, I didn't think about that at the time. I was going for more pretty over intelligent."

Aster chuckled. "Ah can see why!" He spread his hands out and motioned towards the scene. "Yer trying ta landscape a desert. But there are plenty of Cactus plants that have gorgeous flowers ta them that'll easily replace the one ya've got back there. That one there, without the proper care, would shrivel up in days."

Aster chatted for a few minutes more with Angelique before he noticed Jack starting to attract a crowd and that Jack had turned extra fidgety—the air around him dipping in temperature. He glanced at Jack out of his peripheral vision, watching as Jack watched them converse as if they were old time friends. Aster, for the life of him, couldn't figure out why Jack's normally smiling face had shifted into a frown. It had happened the second Angelique and him had started a dialogue about her landscape and seemed to just stay. Aster was baffled about that look, but his attention was drawn from it as he noticed a murmuring beginning to grow into loud conversations that had shouts of surprise to them. Eventually he noticed people were actually stopping to ask Jack for autographs and he excused himself and Jack from the area with a sigh. He had actually _enjoyed_ talking about plants with a fairly intelligent Hareman—and she was a _female_. It was a rarity to find a lone female Hareman. He sent a sideways glare towards Jack whose attention kept going back to the roller coaster when he was looking glum. He really _did_ want to ride that thing…but Aster couldn't, not without vomiting in the process.

"Ah keep tellin' ya, go get North or Tooth. Hell I bet Pitch would even go with you on that thing—he likes fear." Aster told Jack as they headed towards the food court area that held small shops with trinkets to them.

"North's too big, Tooth screams like a girl and I'm deaf after every time I ride with her and Pitch just sits there all stoic and unmoving with this look of absolute disapproval on his face." Jack replied with a sigh. "Are you sure I can't get you on it? Not even one of the small ones?"

"No." Aster replied over his shoulder, his heart breaking a little in his chest as he realized this was one of the few things he wouldn't be able to do to appease Jack, as he walked up to a small booth that held little bagged bits of food. Aster dug out his wallet and picked up a bag of dried fruit. "Ya want something? It's two fer the price of one."

Jack glanced down at the selection and picked up liquorices. Aster handed over the money and he used his teeth to tear into the plastic bag before he popped a dried mango in his mouth. He shivered in delight at the sweet taste and he hummed his approval. He glanced to his right when Jack waved the liquorices towards him, the bag torn open as haphazardly as one might associate with a child. He shook his head, waving his hand in accompaniment as he chewed and offered Jack some of his fruit. Jack, surprisingly, picked up one of the dried banana pieces and munched on it at the same time as his liquorices. Aster raised a brow, wondering _why _Jack would ruin such good tasting dry fruit with unnaturally sugared candy. Hell mixing it with _his _chocolates would be better than mixing it with the liquorices. Aster rolled his eyes when Jack just grinned towards him with mirth gleaming in his eyes.

"By the way, mate, ya attract any more attention—which Ah'm surprised ya haven't attracted more of—then Ah'm leaving ya ta the sharks." He told him as he held out the bag of dried fruit again. He watched as Jack reached in again and grabbed a handful that offered him a variety.

"These are good. Also we _do _attract attention, lots of it. It's just that the few that do walk up to us are usually the ones who either missed us at the last concert or haven't been able to make it to them. We take about six hours out of our night after concerts to make sure everyone's got autographs and pictures, just to help keep them from really bothering us outside of 'work'. It works…kinda." Jack stated, popping a dried peach slice in his mouth while he messily tucked the liquorices away. "Uh mheanh—"

"Jack, chew!" Aster griped. He glanced to the right, noticing the Angelique woman was standing and talking to, color Aster surprised, a herd of female Haremen. He sighed, his immediate liking of Angelique as an oddity crashing and burning. "Crikey and here Ah was thinking she might be one of the _few _soloists."

"What's it matter? Do you like her?" Jack asked, his eyes not quite holding the teasing gleam to them that his voice had. In fact his eyes looked a little worried.

What did Jack have to be worried about?

Aster raised a brow towards Jack, curious to know why Jack had just faked one of his best abilities—teasing. "No. Ah liked _discussing_ with her, it was nice ta meet another who shared mah passion fer plants and actually had half a brain about what they were talkin' about. Why? Ya _want_ me ta like her?"

He saw those eyes widen and Aster watched Jack's mouth fall open, speechless. He then watched as Jack's mouth started to open and close, the man looking like he wanted to retort that question while at the same time unable to find the right words. Aster chuckled curious to know why Jack was acting so strange before he clapped him on the back, right between his shoulder blades, making him wince and straighten—rolling his shoulders with a hiss. He smirked, thanking North for doing that to him _countless_ times and essentially _teaching_ him how to do it.

"Mate, Ah was jokin'. Breathe." Aster told him, popping another dried fruit in his mouth and moving forward as he stopped at the stage Antarctic Blizzard was going to play on later.

Aster volunteered to help out when he realized they needed some extra hands to lift and set instruments in place. As he did these rather mindless tasks he glanced over at Angelique, but every time that happened he found himself feeling as if he was being watched. He frowned, letting his eyes rove through the crowd and then to his friends where, every time, Jack's head of snow white hair would whip around and he'd act like he _hadn't _been staring. Aster was baffled. Was Jack jealous? If he was then what was he jealous of? Was it the fact that Aster had an easy conversation with Angelique compared to their very first conversation that had mentions of a certain marsupial? Or was it as simple as Jack being jealous that Aster was willing to extend Angelique a tentative hand of friendship so easily?

In all honesty, as much as he liked that Angelique woman, she hadn't garnered his attention the way Jack had implied—and probably thought. Sure, he liked talking to her for the ten minutes they stood there chatting pleasantly about her exhibit, but he wasn't interested in her in _that _way. Sure she was pretty and intelligent, but the simple fact of the matter was this: He wasn't attracted to her in the way Jack had implied—which made him curious to know why Jack felt the need to be jealous. Aster was interested in extending a cautious hand of friendship towards her due to the conversations that they _could_ have about vegetation, but he wasn't going to ask her out on a date. She didn't quite hold his attentions that way.

Aster scoffed with that thought, pushing that train of thought aside as he once again felt Jack's eyes on him. He glanced over and sure enough, Jack's head whipped around—but this time it was followed with a cool temp drop and the hood of his hoodie jacket going up over his head. Was Jack _seriously _jealous of someone he hadn't spoken too for more than ten minutes? Also, when had Jack started to think that Aster was _his _friend only? There was _no _way that had happened so fast—his logical side told him week long friendships didn't just flip into outright possessiveness overnight. Especially not when he _barely _got to talk to Jack as it was. He'd only dropped by every so often at the boardinghouse when Tooth dropped by to update Aster with her wedding plans. Sure, they goofed around enough and set up miniature competitions when it came to fixing the boardinghouse up in some way, but it wasn't anything _drastic_. It was a sure way to have fun and probably the most _alive _Aster had ever felt. But that…that didn't warrant Jack's jealousy…did it?

Unless Jack's jealousy was more inclined towards romantic interests…but that was ridiculous, right? Was Jack interested in Angelique? He sure as hell didn't _seem_ interested. Or, stars help the man if this was the case, was Jack interested in _him_? Aster halted his movement with that thought. His brows furrowed, confused as to what would've caused this fast attraction Jack apparently had towards him if that was the case…and how he was going to handle it.

He _barely_ handled his small group of friends, _how_ was he supposed to handle Jack bloody Frost who lived in the lime light—the very thing he wanted to avoid. Aster's uncertainty grew as he slowly mulled these things over in his head but one thing was certain: he needed to confront Jack about this—for better or worse.

He just needed to figure out how to go about it.

Aster sent one last look over to Angelique before the crowd began to gather around Hog's hole in the ground opposite the stage. She and her Haremen Community walked over to the area and then Aster noticed Jack flying off to the right, heading for a perch in a tree where he could still see the event while at the same time avoiding the growing crowds below. Aster sucked in a sharp breath and instead of heading forward towards the event he took to the right, heading for Jack.

He needed to talk to Jack about his behavior, maybe choke the reasoning for it out of him if he got too stubborn…or do what Jack had accused him of doing best, bribe the information from the overgrown kid with the very thing he'd been eyeballing all day.

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Oh goodness that escalated quickly! Guess you'll see how it all turns out...in a day...hopefully.

Am I evil? Yarp.


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Rise of the Guardians, yadda, yadda, yadda...

To **Cat871**: Here's the next Chapter ;D Let's hope it lives up to the hype.

To **Night**-**Fury1**: Yep, that would be the green monster (not the hulk) haha.

To **Queenofcrack97**: Is it wonderful? Or just yet another thing for Bunny to deal with on an already full plate?

To **kcr**: Jack's fine with them, I'll show that bit in a few Chapters. He just doesn't like Angelique, you'll see why ;)

To **yay**: O.o How is Jack going to react? What did I mean by bribe him? Yes, that was a _hell _of a cliffhanger haha.

To **Shanatic**: Panic! at the Disco KILLED it, but I already told you that hehehe. I'll bag ya a keychain/mug at their concert!

Finally to **Kayla**: You're very welcome dear! I hope you love this Chapter too :)

**A/N**: Okay so this got delayed because of one word: virus. So...guess what I spent my day doing? That's right. So I apologize for that and the next bit of news. A) I haven't written the chapter after this out, 95% there's no update tomorrow- but it _is _plotted! B) I'm going to be busy all day tomorrow seeing Panic! at the Disco in concert...turns out we got handed free tickets from the last free tickets yesterday (Yo dawg I heard you like free tickets, so I gave you free tickets because of your...I'll stop). So I'll be rocking out tomorrow leaving you guys without more updates :( However it _does_ give you time to leave me 'dem _reviews you know I love so much_ :D. Maybe I'll treat you guys for being so well behaved and patient with me and update 2 Chapters in a day (if I can get that done that is).

Edit Oct 12: Next chapter gets a bit strange folks...fair warning! Enjoy

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Chapter 8: Bribery is a Dish

As Aster made his way over to the tree Jack was perched in he couldn't help but notice that he was anxious. His mind was a clutter of worried thoughts, all of which were directed towards Jack, and how Aster hoped he was making the right assumptions. Had he read Jack wrong? Was he upset about something completely different than jealousy over Angelique? What if Jack really _was _interested in him? He couldn't help but wonder how he was going to handle _that_ situation—if it was the case. He also tried to ignore how he found it odd that he hoped he was right for once as he jumped to obscure conclusions.

But he couldn't deny the conflict that went hand in hand with that hope.

He _liked _Jack, he wasn't sure how far that like went as of yet aside from general friendship, but he did know that Jack _was _an interesting bloke. He was…well fun for one. Jack was so fun, free and so unabashed about who he was—the confidence in _that _alone was something of merit. As for attraction wise, there was no denying the fact that Jack was a beaut. So he had attractive looks, but that just felt like a benefit to his already appealing personality. That and Jack had done something to him in the short time that he knew him. He had brought out bits of Aster that had been deeply buried for _ages_, in the course of only a bloody week! Jack brought out his ability to have _fun _even without having to do anything more than _talk _to him—even at the hellhole that Aster called his job. He was a healthy distraction that kept Aster from dwelling on his daily life. But most of all Jack seemed to fill a hole in his heart that Aster hadn't even known was there.

No matter which way this went Aster knew one thing was sure: Jack had burrowed his annoying, cocky smiling, quick witted, self into his heart and he was _stuck _with the dill. He was stuck with Jack even if Jack _did _turn into nothing more than a friend. Even as he reached the trunk of the tree Jack was perched in his heart clenched with an unfamiliar feeling that accompanied his last thought. He brushed it off, pushing his emotions to the side to deal with the delicate situation involving Jack.

Aster propped his leg up against the tree Jack was perched in. He didn't initiate anything at first, letting Jack watch as Groundhog emerged without so much as a hinting of his shadow, which meant Spring was on its way. Finally he sucked in a breath and glanced up to Jack.

"Jack Ah need ta talk ta ya." He stated, hoping Jack would come _down_. He was already going to offer to ride the roller coaster with Jack as a way to bribe him to open up a bit and he didn't want to add on _another_ unnecessary fear inducing event into his life by having to climb up the tree after him. "Jack, mate, ya going ta come down from there or do Ah have ta go up there?"

"I don't feel like talking. Go enjoy the festival." Jack murmured, the wind seeming to carry those soft words.

If it hadn't been for Aster's sharp hearing he wouldn't have heard it. He sighed, turning and facing the tree Jack was perched in and taking a nervous swallow of air. He let out a shuddering breath and jumped, gripping hold of the branch that was about four feet below Jack. He looked up, hefting his chest onto the branch and looking like a drunken fool as he wriggled himself onto the branch, nearly flipping over it. This was _so_ degrading.

"Bunny I told you—"

"Ah don't care, Jack." He cut in, letting out a slight whimper when he looked down after hefting his legs onto the branch and then slowly—keeping a hand along the tree's trunk to steady himself—stood on the branch he'd just climbed onto. "Ah need ta talk ta ya and yer not comin' down so Ah'm comin' up."

Jack's form started and he flitted down from the branch he _had_ been on and landed on the edge of Aster's branch, breaking laws of gravity as he stood on the farthest, outward spreading, branch that _shouldn't_ have held his weight that was connected to the one Aster stood on.

"What…what do you need to talk to me about?" He asked, his brows furrowing and his tone clipped due to agitation.

"Ah _want_ ta talk ta ya about Angelique." Aster griped, his temper flaring as a response to hide his fear of heights. "Ya just kept starin' at us while we had a nice conversation with each other then ya went and continued ta stare at me after! What's the matter?"

"You saw those?" Jack deflated, pulling his already up hood further over his face as his cheeks reddened.

"Anyone with half a brain saw 'em." Aster returned, pressing his back against the trunk and finding a steady footing on the branch he stood on. "Are ya worried that Ah'll become better friends with her than ya?"

Jack scoffed then looked affronted. "No!" Jack lifted his head and glared towards Aster, his voice wavering as he said, "I'm pist that it took Tooth to get you to talk to me! All _she_ did was walk up to you and introduce herself and suddenly you were all friendly and open."

"Well it helps that she didn't call me a bloody Kangaroo!" Aster snapped, huffing out a breath and closing his eyes as he took a nervous gulp. Geez, he hated heights. "Listen, mate, she just happened ta get lucky and managed ta strike up a conversation that Ah could easily talk about—Ah was practically brain dead the entire time, running off nothing but age old knowledge gained over the _ages_."

"But you seemed so…_nice_ to her." Jack's voice was deflated again, his gaze averted to the side when Aster cracked his eye open followed by Jack sighing. "Here I was thinking I was starting to become your friend…"

Aster closed his eyes briefly again before he opened them and narrowed them on Jack. "Listen, mate, when Ah first met ya Ah didn't like ya. Ah thought ya were a drongo, but that's changed now. Ah like ya just fine, Jack. If Ah didn't Ah wouldn't have chased ya down and Ah wouldn't be up in this bloody tree!"

Jack's head tilted to the side and he smirked, his mood seeming to lift a little with that admission. "You really _don't_ like heights, do you?"

Aster nodded confirmation, sharply. "Ah like mah feet on the ground."

Jack nodded, hopping down from the branch with a fancy back flip that was accompanied by a cold gust of wind. Aster followed, slumping to the ground and putting all fours on it and sighed in relief as he felt himself reconnect with the ground below him. He sat up onto his knees, leaning over and placing his hands on them. He looked up at Jack whose brows were knit together and he bounced his staff on his shoulder.

"A'right, mate, now ya want ta tell me what's _really _wrong?" Aster asked, watching surprise shoot across Jack's face.

He watched Jack carefully. Jack looked away for a moment and then Aster saw it. Jack erected up a wall. Aster tilted his head, his ears pricking forward as he watched Jack—_Jack of all people_—hide his feelings. He realized in that moment that whatever was _actually _bugging Jack was a doozie. Aster sighed, knowing full well what was coming next—denial.

"Nothing's _really_ wrong, Bunny." Jack turned and Aster shot to his feet quickly, slapping his hand on Jack's shoulder and leaning forward, going eye-level with Jack.

"Ah'll ride a roller coaster with ya." Aster told him, watching as that wall crumbled in all of five seconds as Jack's mood rose, his eyebrows flying past the edge of his bangs while his blue eyes brightened. "But on one condition."

Jack's brows sank again and he looked at him quizzically. "What…?"

"Ya tell me what else is wrong, and ya _don't_ lie ta me about it." Aster told him, making sure his voice had a convicting edge as he then said, "Ah'm putting mahself on the line here, mate. If Ah ride that damn contraption Ah want _everything_ from ya soon as we get off."

Jack pursed his lips in thought and as if someone was trying to help Aster out in the convincing department, the playful screams of people riding the coaster again sounded out. Jack smirked, taking on an evil look.

"You have to ride _that_ one with me." Jack pointed the crook of his staff over at the one that had the small, hill-like, drop with tight turns.

Of _course _Jack would pick the biggest one at the festival—even if it wasn't _that _big by normal standards. Aster gaped at it, feeling the blood drain from his face as he realized what he'd just signed up for. He turned back to Jack, ears pressing down against the back of his head from nerves and held out his hand to cement the deal just made. Jack held his out, seconds from grasping Aster's when Aster jerked his own back and set a threatening look to Jack.

"Ya tell me _everything_ Jack. Ya don't leave _anything_ out no matta' _what_ ya believe mah response ta be." Aster told him.

They stared at each other, both of their stubborn selves sitting on the forefront before Jack nodded sharply. They shook on it and soon they were standing in line. When they reached the front of the line Aster sucked in a sharp breath as he climbed into the seat next to Jack—of course the annoying larrikin wanted the front bloody row—and the metal bar lowered across their laps. He clenched his jaw and gripped the metal bar, his ears pressing against the back of his head as panic began to set in. He flinched when he felt a cold hand on his, cracking an eye and seeing it was Jack's hand encasing his in an attempt to soothe his nerves. Jack wriggled his death grip from the bar free and let go of his own bar to hold Aster's single hand with both of his. Soon as the coaster started Aster whimpered and found himself curling towards Jack, tucking his head against his cold shoulder and shivering.

Soon as the coaster ended Aster shot from the metal seats and located the nearest trash can. His stomach churned, the vomit having sat at the back of his throat halfway through the ride as his normally well centered self was thrown off balance from a combination of dips and sharp twists. He wondered how sick he had looked as he leaned over the trash bin and introduced it to the contents of what _use _to be in his stomach. He leaned over the bin, pressing his forehead to his forearm and feeling Jack's cold hand on the back of his neck, followed by him placing his other hand on his forehead. Those cool appendages helped—a lot.

"Come on, let's get you somewhere where you can lie down." Jack coaxed, unable to keep the glee from his voice from having just rode the coaster he'd been eyeing all day.

"Mate, Ah could _kill_ ya fer actin' like ya were about ta fall outta' the bloody cart at the turn." Aster griped after groaning as the world tilted again. He _hated_ any moving vehicles. Give him his tunnels _any_ day of the week. "In fact Ah think Ah _will_ kill ya fer doin' that."

Jack snickered, leading him behind the stage Jack was going to sing at in a couple hours. Jack eased him onto the floor and Aster sprawled out, digging his hands into the Earth below him and never wanting to let go again. He moaned as his stomach churned again.

"Spill, Jack." Aster murmured. "Else Ah'm going ta spill _on _ya. Need a distraction."

He heard Jack sigh above him and then felt something odd. Cold…on his _ear_. He twitched them, feeling the resistance first before he cracked an eye and saw Jack looking off to the side, his hand absently rubbing one of his ears. He ignored how good that little touch felt and frowned.

"Jack, mate, Ah just _tortured_ mahself ta get ya ta talk. Please." Aster waved Jack's hand away from his ear.

Jack's icy gaze turned back to Aster's and he smirked briefly. "Your ears feel like velvet."

"Thrillin', now _out with it ya hoon_." Aster growled. "Yer tryin' what _little_ patience Ah have left."

Jack's eyes widened and he gulped. Aster watched as Jack began to twitch again, showing all the signs of being nervous. What surprised Aster the most, though, was what came from Jack's mouth next.

"I…I _like_ you." Jack tried, sighing. "I mean I _like _you but what I'm trying to say is—"

"Ah think Ah get it, mate." Aster sighed this time, lifting a hand and rubbing his temples as a headache began to form.

Aster closed his eyes and mulled that admission over. _Shit_. It _was_ the jealousy based around romantic intentions that he had spotted—more than once—on Jack as he had spoken to Angelique. Fuck him.

"When did this start?" Aster asked, lowering his hand and looking up at Jack. "When did ya start…y'know."

It was odd to shrug while fat on his back, but Aster somehow managed it. Jack snorted suddenly.

"The second I saw you."

Aster stared at Jack, blinking. "Ya what now?"

Jack chewed on his lower lip for a moment and then leaned on his left arm, which sat on his left knee as he sat cross-legged on the ground next to Aster. "The second I _saw_ you I was attracted to you. You're well…y'know _hot_ for one and then I _heard _you…then I stuck my foot in my mouth and insulted you." Jack glanced down at him with a sad smile. "Sorry about that. I was caught off guard by the Snowflake crack."

Aster shrugged. "Ah guess it's a'right, apology accepted." He lurched forward into a sitting position and glanced over to Jack on his right. "When was the final straw?"

Jack smiled a closed lip smile and Aster's heart did a miniature flip before he reprimanded it. "In your Warren, that second time I met you. You tackled me into the water that day, remember?" Jack glanced to him and Aster nodded. "You…you let me touch you, and North told me it was strange that you let me do it—and so quickly after meeting me. He told me it took him centuries to get to that point, and even then you _still_ tense up around him." Jack met Aster's eyes. "You _relax_ around me, even now you're at ease."

Aster glared at him, baring his teeth. "Ah am not!" He lied, watching as Jack obviously didn't buy _that_ lie. "Fine, so Ah'm not as anxious around ya as Ah am with everyone else. Ya know what that means ta mah kind? Means yer not a threat."

Jack chuckled. "Fine with me, but you _know_ better."

Aster frowned. Damn right he _knew_ better than to see Jack as anything _but_ dangerous. Especially _now_ since he found out Jack was _attracted _to him. He had nothing against men, it was Jack's work that Aster was going to have a hard time dealing with—especially if they _did_ end up dating. That and his face would be plastered on every newspaper, website and pop-up article on the damn internet if they got involved—which didn't bode well for keeping his _Pooka_ form under wraps.

"Just so you know, I froze over Angelique's landscape exhibit." Jack supplied, grinning with a mischievous air.

Aster balked. "What? Why?! Mate she was _nice_, ya shouldn't have done that."

Jack shrugged. "She was totally coming onto you."

"Jack, Ah was just _talking_ ta her." He argued. "There wasn't _any_ flirting or 'comin onto' me."

Jack threw his hands up into the air looking exasperated. "Don't lie! I watched you act so smooth and relaxed around her—like you were trying to impress her! If _only_ you showed _me_ that kind of attenti—shit."

"Ya put yer foot in yer mouth with that one, Jacky." Aster griped, rolling onto his knees and making sure the world wasn't threatening to move under him suddenly.

"So…what're we going to do?" Jack asked, worrying his lower lip as the audience beyond the makeshift tarp-tent they were in started screaming in anticipation.

"Well…There's a line, Jack." Aster stated, his eyes darting between Jack's blue eyes. _Man_ were those eyes gorgeous. "That line keeps me far enough away from ya lot ta keep me from attractin' attention since Ah'm only a 'friend' of the band—a no name. If…_if_ we cross _that_ line, mate—" Aster crossed his arms, raising his hand to assist in his chewing on his lower lip as he discussed the fine details of what had just passed between them. He suddenly corrected himself, "If _Ah _cross that line then Ah'm just inviting everythin' Ah don't want ta be involved in ta mah doorstep."

Jack nodded, leaning on his staff—which had apparently appeared again when Aster had been flat on his back with Jack's worrying over him seeming to call the staff to his side. Jack's head hung in defeat and he nodded.

"So…it's a no?" Aster watched as Jack's hand shook as it reached for his hood. "And I'm assuming we can't go back to being friends after something _this_ deep."

Aster noticed his chest clench painfully. He had a _big_ decision to make, one that either promised a 'living' feeling about it as he courted—dated—Jack or returning to the bleakness that had been his life _before _Jack. One of those choices ensured many more years of crippling misery served on a cold plate of _loneliness. _Aster sighed, rubbing his eyes furiously and trying to ignore the still churning of his stomach as it threatened to spill the leftover contents of his stomach all over the dirt of the makeshift easy up.

"No…it's not a no." He replied, hearing the growing volume of the crowds at the edge of the stage from beyond the tarp's blue plastic walls as they began to scream for Antarctic Blizzard. Aster watched Jack, who perked up. He should be waiting in the wings of the stage right now instead of waiting for him to give him an answer. "Ah…Ah think Ah need time ta wrap mah head around the fact that _anyone_ can even _like_ me the way ya do. Ah didn't…Ah didn't even think it was possible."

Aster sighed in relief when Jack's lips twitched into a small smile, his eyes catching a hint of it. "I'll tell you what; make you a deal like you made me."

Aster nodded. "Sounds fair."

"You get your time to think it over, but before you tell me your answer you give me _one_ date. Just one, and if anyone asks we can just say we're hanging out for the day." Jack suggested, his eyes alight with hope—now _that_ emotion looked good on Jack. "That fair to you?"

Aster nodded. "Ah'm not free again fer another few days after today. Ah need ta finish up the porch and continue preparing fer Easter."

"You have my new number, right?" Jack asked, turning briefly when North shouted for him. "You can call me when you have some free time and I'll adjust my schedule to yours."

"No, Ah don't have yer new number." Aster griped, watching as Jack glared at him with a frown. "Ah didn't even have yer old one."

"What? How?! We each gave you our numbers." Jack shot back, his brows lowering over his eyes as he continued to glare at Aster.

Aster smirked this time, shrugging a shoulder. "Ah didn't _like_ ya enough ta add yer phone number into mah phone at first," Aster chuckled when Jack huffed, "but things have, apparently, changed—enough ta make me _consider_ putting yer number in mah phone and _maybe_ answerin' it should ya call."

"Should I call?" Jack scoffed, tapping an ice licked finger onto Aster's nose and making him scrunch it from the cold that 'nipped' his nose. "Bunny you had damn well better answer when I call you, otherwise you're going to have the _worst_ customers ever for the next month. I have Twitter and a _large _fanbase, I am _not _afraid to abuse that fact."

Aster grinned towards Jack who finally walked towards the stage when Pitch sidled up next to them with a curious look to his face. Aster walked out from behind the stage, taking a seat at a worn out table along the edge and began his analysis of what had just happened. _Jack_ wanted to _date _him, so badly he had turned _jealous_ when another had caught Aster's attention—even if it had been nothing more than a friendly conversation. Aster shook his head and smiled, looking up when the crowd's volume picked up yet again and Jack sauntered out on stage followed by Pitch, North and then Tooth. As Aster watched the concert he had to admit: Jack made a _hell _of a front man with his energy, charisma and vocal talent.

He wasn't a bad dancer either.

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To summarize: No Update Tomorrow! But thank you guys for being so patient and well behaved :) Leave reviews when you have the time, you've got a day or more to do it since I'm fairly busy Sunday too and I doubt I'll get around to writing anytime this weekend :(


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Rise of the Guardians, yadda, yadda, yadda...

To **Cat871**: First off I _love _roller coasters, but _hate _heights (oddly I hate caves too, but that's from living in an area with Earthquakes so I'm always scared the cave will- har har- _cave_ in) and I too didn't get on my first roller coaster till I was 18...and it was X2...at Six Flags...I've never looked back and refuse to ride anything unless its front row now. Also YES FERRIS WHEELS ARE EVIL! They're all creaky and F my mother scary (at least where I live). Anyways, I am so glad you enjoyed the last Chapter! More torture for Bunny to come XD

To **Shanatic**: It is a nice Chapter, isn't it. I've re-read it myself 6 times and I'm thinking: "Hm...you didn't F this one up Cheeks (I call myself Cheeks as a nickname).

To **yey**: He will do the carrot cake eventually...quit reading my mind guys you spoil things...I want carrot cake now...Wait Jaffa cakes are coming in mail soon XD

To **Queenofcrack97**: Innit adorable watching Bunny struggle to figure himself out a bit? Also nose bleed? I'm sorry? Do I have that kind of power?! Why has nobody told me this?!

To **kcr**: Bunny's got a few things to sort out bidness wise before the date, that's _next _Chapter :)

To **Guest** (I shall name you **Jimbob**): First off, Jack _is _going to perform (I just thought of stuff on way home tonight that'll make yer hearts melt) but not for a few Chapters yet. P!ATD is now one of my favorite bands to see live. They have just wowed me with their performances, both nights! See reference to _KILLING IT_!

To **Kayla**: Date's coming up after this Chapter...which is weird...bare with me I swear I have plans for this!

**A/N**: Okay so first off I am _so _glad I didn't pay money for these tickets. The first two shows- New Politics (Wow, these guys are pretty cool live) and of course Panic! at the Disco once again KILLED IT (They nailed it? Superb. Grade A showmanship.) However the main act 30 Seconds to Mars was...oddly..._very _disappointing. I've never sat through a tedious concert quite like that before haha. I'm not saying _all _their concerts are like this, nor am I saying they're a bad band, but _this _particular concert was rather Blase(é). Anyways, here's the update! I managed to wriggle it out before I met up with friend and edited it late last night.

Fair warning this Chapter may get a _little__bit strange_, but there's reasons behind it that'll show up later so excuse the odd-ness of this Chapter...just practice your nodding of the head and waving as it floats by.

Date is next Chapter everybody :) But I'm busy at shelter tomorrow (Bunnies need love, cage cleanings, outside time and fresh veggies) so I am unsure if I will get to writing date Chapter tomorrow...hell I wasn't going to release this Chapter till tomorrow (now today) because of tonight but I _was _awake not 10 seconds ago so I decided to post this. It's a little long, but consider it payment for being so well behaved and not screaming at me for updating late because of virus :)

Enjoy!

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Chapter 9: The Odd Situation at Hand

Aster ground his teeth, and not in the good way. His tables tonight were bordering closely to unbearable and he wondered if Jack had anything to do with it. Jack _had _threatened his workplace, after all, and Aster wouldn't put it past the Frostbite to go and sic his large fanbase on him. Course it probably wasn't helping that Aster had been especially quiet the past four days while he mulled over his thoughts about Jack as he worked—in both the Warren _and _the steakhouse. He had _so _many things he needed to do and prepare for already and adding Jack's admission of romantic intent couldn't have arrived at a better time.

But then again when did things of this nature _ever _know what _good _timing was?

He nodded towards the next table that had been filled up in his section and he gave them his usual schpeel when introducing himself, hinting towards what foods were good on the menu and of course ignoring anything that was related to his personal life—his accent. It was turning into a grueling night of being annoyed at _every_ opportune moment and it took every cell in his body to keep from flipping platters of food onto some of the more annoying customers.

He'd admit it; he was having a _damn _hard time deciding what he was going to do with Jack and it was affecting his work in a big way. He thrilled at the idea of dating him, but at the same time he erred on the side of caution when it came to dipping his toe into _that_ body of water—which was the size of the bloody Earth. All he thought about after that brief moment of glee at the prospect of being happily content for once in his _long _life was tossed out the window the second he realized just _what _he was signing himself up for. Sure Jack would satisfy a _lot _of his problems, but Jack came with _so _much baggage—the entire world, for instance. That and Aster worried about how people would take to Jack dating a _male. _Would he lose his fan base? Would they be accepting of his choice? But most of all _how _was he going to stay in the shadows when he was going to be with Jack nearly every second of every day?

He sucked in a sharp breath as he reached the waiter's section and began to fill the various cups of the tables in his section that was housing some of the _nosiest_, most _uncontrolled_ and _rudest_ set of kids he had ever met in his life—and the parents did _jack shit_ about it. He made a mental note to half those kid's eggs in particular this year. Their behavior was inexcusable, even when Aster had tried to help they had shunned him as if he was yet another adult…which he technically was. Still, though, he expected some respect for being the bloody Easter Bunny.

He swore as he spilled hot coffee on his hand again and shook the appendage out. He smelled dirt as he wiped his hand with a napkin and saw Hog sidle up next to him. He felt Hog lean towards him and he frowned at the invasion of space before he shrugged it off. He needed to get over people invading his space anyway, might as well start with the smelliest of the lot.

"Need help with your table?" He asked, keeping his tone even and neutral to keep Aster from bristling and thinking it was an insult towards his waiting capabilities.

Aster sighed and nodded, thankful for the help. He needed extra arms tonight and the only thing that kept him from popping one of his long time out of use six arm chocolates was the fact that if he did that he would assuredly change into his Pooka form again and he _might _actually kill someone in that form due to how short his temper was tonight.

Well…that and he tended to grow another foot or so in height, gain an obscure amount of strength and to top it all off shifting back to his Pooka form was a _must _due to how the chocolate forced that form to the forefront for the _best _fighting shape. "Ah can't seem ta get those ankle-bittahs ta relax and behave. Maybe Ah've lost mah touch."

Hog snorted. "Bunny, I can't be the first person to bring this to light for you, but _most _kids are well behaved angels. Only _some _of them are little shits, and it's usually the ones with parents like _theirs_. I wouldn't expect a good tip tonight from that table either."

Aster nodded again, evening out the coffee in the mug before he put it on the platter he was going to haul over to the table. Hog grabbed up the other and helped set the drinks down. After that Aster walked up to the newest customer in his section and he flipped his notepad open to a new page, looked to the woman in the booth and then proceeded to do a double take. Angelique sat there, prim and proper in another dress suit. He was stunned to see her sitting right at the booth in his section, her makeup done flawlessly and her top dipping just low enough to flash her well endowed cleavage. Aster closed his eyes and rubbed them. He did _not _need this too. His head began to throb from a headache, caused by both the strain of tonight _and _his ears wanting to sit perked upward on his head instead of flat against the back of his skull.

He had Easter coming in less than two months, a flower order so large it was taking up a large portion of his Warren, he was beginning to look into real estate since he was nearing his starting amount for his flower business—at last—and to top it all off he now had to deal with Jack. He didn't need to deal with Angelique too. He had enough to balance!

He thought of one of the many plate spinners in the world. Right now he was _barely _managing and he was expecting Angelique to be the errant gust of wind to make everything shatter around him. He cleared his throat, though, and looked at her. He plastered his waiter smile on his face and readied his pen after giving her a brief overview of the food and drink.

"Now what can Ah get ya ta start with fer yer beverage?" He asked.

"I'll have a water and a coffee." Angelique stated simply. "I'll also have the Spinach Artichoke Dip as an appetizer."

"A'right Ah'll have that order right in fer ya and Ah'll—"

"And," Angelique cut in gently with a quick smile, "I'd like to have a word with you when you're on your break Mr.?"

"Ahhh…Just call me Bunny." He told her, pointing to his name tag. "Ah don't get a break fer another hour."

"That's fine, as long as I can speak to you briefly." Angelique nodded her thanks and Aster turned stiffly away.

He _did not _need this right now. Nothing good ever came out of Haremen interactions for him. The first and most annoying was the general invitation into _their_ Community. He'd usually decline that offer and then another would be thrown out onto the table in the simple invitation for a BBQ or picnic with them. Another offer he would decline earnestly. Then the last and final thing these ended with was them always handing him their Communities' card and asking for him to call them should he ever need them. To which he would always reply that he would, but never did. He had a feeling this was going to happen on his break.

He plowed through the hour; irritable with how tonight was turning out. He walked outside soon as Pudge took over his tables for him to give him a break. Angelique joined him outside moments later.

"So, Bunny, what Community are you from?" She began, hiking her purse onto her shoulder.

"Ah'm from the Sydney Community." He lied; he wasn't even _part_ of that Community. Hell he didn't even know if there _was _a Sydney Community, it was just something he threw out the first day he registered with Pitch. "Ah moved here a few years ago, tryin' ta start a new life and all."

"Oh that's great!" Angelique stated with her eyes glittering. "We have an opening and we're looking for, specifically, an unattached Male."

"An unattached…Male?" Aster asked, raising a brow and trying to keep from being confused by that statement. His ears twitching as he stood there trying to piece together that statement. "By which ya mean…?"

"My Community, Harewomen of Burgess, is strictly female. I don't know if you know about the few all female Communities in the world, but we're out there and I'm part of the local one here." Angelique stated, reaching into her breast pocket and digging out her card. Aster tensed when he smelled the dusty scent associated with Haremen. He lifted his nose and scented the area—another odd thing for a Hareman to do if anyone took a moment to notice—and then he noticed the small herd of female Haremen standing near the edge of the steakhouse's parking lot. There were a total of four of them, Angelique probably making the fifth. "We're looking for a Male, and not just any Male, to spend Mating Season with and _you _have been selected as our lucky Male. As you are familiar many of us animal based Supernaturals go through our seasonal affair and after speaking with you at the landscaping exhibit and then allowing my fellow Community members to look at you from afar the past three days we've come to a unanimous decision. We, Bunny, would like _you _to join us for this year's Mating Season."

Aster's ears dropped like anvils were attached to their ends. His eyes widened in disbelief and he _almost _forgot to breathe for a minute. He blinked at Angelique—utterly stunned, feeling like he had just snapped from a _bad _dream. He immediately began to shake his head before Angelique frowned slightly and reached for his hand. He recoiled from the touch, continuing to shake his head.

"No." He stated simply, voicing what his head was telling Angelique as it shook sideways. "Ah'm not interested in yer bloody female Community. Ah may be a buck—sorry _Male_, but Ah'm not a toy fer ya lot ta sate yer primal needs with. Ah'm sure there's another buc—Male out there _more _than willin' ta—"

"Bunny, from what I understand from speaking to a few individuals in this City who know _of _you but don't know you _personally_ you spend _every_ Mating Season alone. You lock yourself up somewhere nobody has a key too and you don't come out for a _month_." Angelique huffed, holding the card out to him and waving it in the air between them. "_We _are offering you a way to _shorten_ the amount of time you spend hiding this Mating Season. Your _month long hibernation _could be turned into two and a half weeks of pleasure. _We_ are willing to, should it happen, carry _your_ Offspring and expect _nothing_ from you beyond your company for Mating Season. You don't have any obligation to be part of the Offspring's life unless you so choose—we can handle them ourselves easily enough. I suggest you give this serious thought, Bunny, because Mating Season is coming _very_ shortly in two and a half months. This card has _all_ of our numbers on the back—our _private_ numbers may I mention. It would be nice if you got to know us all before you joined us. It isn't required, but it makes for a much more pleasant experience for all parties involved."

Bunny was flabbergasted, Angelique becoming fed up with his stiff unmoving form and tucking the card into his apron before she turned and stalked away towards her Community who each gazed towards Aster with a heated looks.

_How did he get into these situations_? No really, _how_?

After recovering from the shock of that situation Aster stumbled back inside, his breathing labored as he absorbed what had just been offered to him as if he was some _prostitute_. He shook his head, wincing when his ear clipped one of the low hanging ceiling bits and causing him for force his ears back against his skull. It was the distraction he needed, that and he noticed a familiar large man sitting in his section at the booth Angelique had just vacated.

"North!" Aster gasped out in a shaky breath, to which he stumbled into the booth and let his hands shake on the table briefly before he hid them below the table. He was _rattled_, and he didn't know how to handle it. "Ah need ya ta come ta the Warren tonight. Ah need ta talk ta ya about something—important."

North's brows rose at that request and then his mouth fell open in disbelief when Aster had added on the 'important' bit. North nodded and set about waiting patiently in Aster's section for him to finish his night before accompanying him to his Warren. Aster took a few moments to relax while there, to gather his thoughts and ease the tension from his shoulders as he checked over his egg bearing plants and then led North to Tooth's flowers to update him on their progress so he could inform Tooth of it as well. Finally Aster sucked in a sharp breath and faced North, unsure of how he was even going to start this _new _debacle he was facing.

"North…Ah don't know if ya heard from Jack or not yet—"

North held up his hand. "I have heard _everything_ Bunny. Jack…he is beginning to get anxious about your near silence. It has been four, going on five, days of silence now my friend. That is almost a week of waiting."

"Ah know! But that's not what Ah want ta talk ta ya about!" Aster shouted, letting his stress show in his inability to keep his temper from flaring to life. "Ah got that the bloody Snowflake doesn't like waiting fer mah answer but Ah have _bigger_ problems than _him_ right now!"

North's eyes went wide and he held out his hands. Aster sighed out with irritability as he watched North's hands wave through the air in an attempt to pacify him. After a few moments of North allowing Aster time to cool off and cap a lid on his temper he cleared his throat and with a soothing tone asked:

"Now what, my friend, is troubling you?"

Aster reached both hands up and yanked on his ears, gritting his teeth against the sharp pain before he slumped forward and tugged the ears across his face—which worked like a curtain, just like Jack's bangs did.

"Angelique showed up at the steakhouse tonight." He whimpered out, embarrassed by the idea. "She propositioned me ta join her _female _Community as their _Male_ fer Mating Season."

That was another bit that differentiated Aster from the Haremen. Their terminology was vastly different. Males and Females were, obviously, the male and female equivalent of Haremen—who preferred to use sex based terminology that was closer to their Human counterparts. But in Aster's species males were referred to as bucks and females were referred to as does. Offspring was another term that was different between Aster and the Haremen. Offspring was pretty self explanatory for the Hareman's children, while kits were what children were referred to for Aster. He hadn't thought those terms could still slip by his lips, but they had crossed them once while he conversed with Angelique and nearly did so again as he had continued. He had slipped up, nearly twice, while talking with Angelique. Of course she didn't seem to bat an eye at those slip ups, probably unaware of his species in its entirety and believing he was using _his_ Communities' terms. 'Course if Angelique bothered to check she may overturn a few stones and find out Aster was lying between his teeth—especially when it came to the Sydney Community.

Aster growled the second he heard North's snort. He let go of his ears and they perked forward, irritation and embarrassment causing Aster's face to turn a bright red as North attempted to hide his laughter in a combination of wheezed coughs and the crook of his elbow. His face, however, was turning a bright red.

"Oh fer fuck's sake North get it out of yer bloody system before ya pop a blood vessel." Aster shouted angrily, to which North let his laughing boom out and echo through the Warren. Aster rolled his eyes. "There are times Ah feel like yer an overgrown teenager."

"I am sorry old friend." North sucked in sharp breaths of air and continued to chuckle for a good _long_ minute after he finally let it all out. He straightened, having officially recovered from his laughing fit and wiping his eyes. "Now, what is it that is troubling you?"

Aster ground his teeth, the noise apparently loud enough where North could hear it as well. Aster sucked in a breath.

"As Ah said, Angelique—the Hareman Ah met four days ago—she showed up tonight ta invite me ta spend Mating Season with her Community of _all female Haremen_." Aster rubbed his face. "Ah can't—"

"So, female Hareman that made Jack jealous—yes I know about that Jack ranted at me about it all night that night—asked you to join her and her community for Mating Season? No strings attached?"

Aster nodded, feeling uncomfortable in his Hareman shape again for the first time in a century. He shifted to his Pooka form, the form melting forth as if it was sitting just below the surface of his Human looking skin. Aster glanced up at North who was unfazed by the change, having seen this form frequently over their age old friendship.

"Like Ah was some prostitute—or better yet _toy_—fer 'em ta get their primal kicks out of." Aster admitted with a hint of shame. "Is _that_ how people perceive me? As nothing more than a Hareman who happens ta be especially toned? Nothing more than a body ta fuck that just so happens ta look good in the process?"

North sighed. "No. I can tell you that is _not _how Jack sees you—which I am merely saying to keep you from worrying over _that_. I cannot speak for rest of world though, but Jack…Aster," Aster looked up when North used his real name over the nickname Tooth had given him, "I do not want to pry into you and Jack's business, but may I suggest something? Find time to spend with him, even if you are busy that day. Your silence really is unnerving Jack, to point where he won't leave my room—or let me sleep."

Aster smirked, to which North punched his shoulder. "He's in yer room twenty four seven, innit he?"

"He does not understand my hints to leave room. I tell him I am busy and he sits in corner and mopes until I am ready to speak with him and I believe Pitch has taken to hiding in his shadow realm within his room in order to completely avoid him." North rubbed his beard in thought. "I haven't seen Tooth for two days; I imagine she is using Tooth Fairy work to avoid him as well, leaving me with mess I have no skills at dealing with."

Aster chuckled. "It just means he _likes _ya North!" He watched as North glowered towards him at his sarcastic tone. "So…it's _that_ bad? Ya do know Ah've been replying ta his messages, right? He sends the bloody things every three hours. They're three text message lengths long!"

North shook his head, then sucked in a sharp breath. "Back to track?"

Aster shook his head, his mood dipping into frustration again when North reminded him about Angelique and her offer. He wasn't entirely comfortable with the idea of literally _fucking_ five women during a season that was near sacred to his species. Mating Season was meant for _Mates_, not screwin' the neighbors. It was a time for couples to either find prospective Mates, legitimize engagements or attempt to carry on their lines with kits due to heightened fertility during that time. Aster's heart clenched painfully, torn between the hope of having someone he was intimately involved with to take part of his sacred season with but yet shattered with the knowledge that it wouldn't go beyond legitimizing what was essentially viewed as a 'marriage' to his species.

"These bestial beings North…they're _ruled_ by their instincts." Aster began before North snorted.

"I have partaken in _one_ of your seasons, Aster. I am _well_ aware just how out of control you can get yourself. You," North poked the end of his muzzle where his pink nose twitched, "are just as much ruled by instincts as _them_. Only difference is where _they_ are fogged, you _can_ be brought back from edge—but only after first, maybe second, sating."

Aster, if he was in his Hareman shape, would have matched the red of North's shirt as he remembered the _single_ time, _ages ago_, when North had stood in to help him through his season. It was the _only _time where Aster could successfully ignore that anxiety when it came to being touched. It was before Sandy had really stepped into their lives as their friend and started supplying Aster with small bags of his dream sand. Somehow Aster had avoided marking North as a Mate, it probably had to do with North's insane ability to wrestle effectively and _always_ managed to top—which didn't bug Aster much after the initial fight for dominance. Aster shook his head—along with the memory—away.

"That's not the point! _They_ are literally focusing on mating fer the sake of creating offspring." Aster then lifted a paw into the air and waved one of the index digits between them. "Luckily, Ah can't knock any of 'em up, even if Ah _do_ happen' ta take 'em up on the offer."

"Really? I would think Hareman would be possible carrier." North stated, raising a brow in curiosity.

"They're too Human ta carry _my_ kits, mate." Aster stated. "Not Offspring—actual _Pooka_ _kits_. Fer one they grow too fast fer their bodies ta keep up with naturally and fer another reason they _aren't_ related ta us just because they _have_ rabbit ears and _some _rabbit genes. In fact they're more associated with yer bloody animals here on Earth than they are with Pookas—even if we _are _from the same section of the Universe."

North rolled his eyes, waving. "Dah, but what will you do? You _know_ how hard it is for Mating Season, not to mention last time you used Sandy's sand you did not wake for month after. We had to call in Doctor friend to run tests to ensure you were still awake!"

Aster blanched, remembering how much _that_ had cost his friends. It was extremely pricey to keep a Doctor, who had never studied one of his kind before because of the fact that they were believed to be extinct, quiet. Last Aster heard that Doctor was living it up on his own private island in the Caribbean's with a full waiting staff just _waiting_ for North to call him again.

"Ah'm…Ah don't think Ah'd even consider it, North." Aster stated simply, his ears drooping. "Ya _know_ what Mating Season is fer me, Ah _told_ ya why Ah don't just sleep 'round that time of year. Hell, how Ah avoided marking ya is still a mystery in itself."

North grinned, flexing his muscles. Aster frowned, pushing his friend back with a paw and resisting the urge to imitate a Kangaroo—probably to Jack's utter delight—and use his powerful legs to punt his friend across his Warren with a quick kick. Then again he could _really_ hurt North if he tried that, which was why he didn't act on that impulse—as funny as it _would_ be.

North then shrugged, recovering from the shove and turning to head towards the exit to the Warren as his gem began to flicker at his wrist. "So, how goes decision towards Jack?"

Aster sighed. "Ah told him Ah'd give him at least _one_ date—Ah can't say more until Ah figure it out mahself." His ears perked up atop his head as an idea hit him. "Ah could kill two birds with one stone! Do ya think Jack would mind tagging along with me ta look at buildings? Ah've got tomorrow off and Ah planned on hunting fer a good building ta house mah store. We could spend the morning doing that, catch a lunch—"

"Make sure you take him to mini golf course. He has odd obsession with both that game and arcade there, claims them to be 'fun'." North showed his distaste. "He liked bowling as well. He likes _noisy _things."

Aster tilted his head, smirking. "Ya givin' me some hints there?"

North snorted. "Is easy to appease child, no?"

Aster shrugged. "He acts like one, but from what Ah happened ta see when Ah first met him and the other day both on stage and during our little chat Ah severely _doubt_ that Jack is a child."

North pursed his lips, beginning to leave the Warren. "Then perhaps you should take that into account. You are facing predicament this season, Aster. But you have two options _other_ than Sandy's sand—and friends who are worried over you."

"Ah'm not even going ta mention it ta Jack, mate." Aster shook his head. "It's embarassin' enough having ta chat with _ya_ about it. Ah don't want ta talk ta _Jack_ of all people about it as well."

"Is merely a suggestion old friend." North stated offhandedly—seeming a bit insulted with Aster's response before shrugging it off. "I have seen him handle himself well enough—I believe he is strong enough to survive you in _that_ state as well."

"North, Ah'm _not_ willin' ta do that ta him." Aster replied sharply. "Don't ya remember the bruises Ah left on ya? Ah felt awful, fer weeks!"

Finally North turned, his brows lowering dangerously over his piercing blue eyes as they took on a dangerous glint to them. "E. Aster Bunnymund, if you are stringing Jack along then so help me if you so much as hurt Jack with this little game you are playing then I would _suggest_ you do it now—_before_ either of you get hurt more than necessary. This game you are playing with him…one where you make him guess what you are…will wear thin and Jack _will _eventually end up being hurt as he realizes you do not trust him with your 'secret'. I suggest your game comes to end soon, Aster, otherwise Tooth will be getting fur coat that matches yours for Christmas—and _your _species will finally be on extinct list."

Aster gulped, North's threat ringing through the Warren as his form disappeared followed by Aster's guest gem filtering in through the small deposit box after North had walked through the portal. That magic imbued box only appeared to anyone outside the Warren when the gems were being held by the wearer in their hand when the magic had worn off. He picked up the gem from the small shelf and held it in his tight grip.

Aster shook his head, smirking as he stated, "Ah guess Ah better start leadin' the bloody dill in the right direction. Else North'll kill me."

Aster admitted this to himself, tossing the gem in the air and then catching it quickly. He wasn't going to outright _tell _Jack what he was yet, mainly because it was just too much fun to torture him in that regard, but he had better start pointing him in the right direction. That _and _Aster was still nervous about divulging what he was to Jack. He knew it was wrong to keep Jack in the dark as to what he was, but what if he didn't take it well? What if Jack freaked out and immediately rejected him because of what he was? Who wouldn't freak out and reject a six foot one rabbit that was as tall as a Human—and had their intelligence?

Guess Aster would find out how Jack would react when _he _decided Jack was ready to know what he was. He needed to know he could trust Jack to keep his other side under wraps. For now, though, Aster would focus on work, the Warren and trying to think of ways to make their first date 'fun'…something Aster wasn't _good _at naturally.

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K, I am off to bed because damn I am tired. Hope this was okay? It was _really _strange to write haha!


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Rise of the Guardians, yadda, yadda, yadda...

**A/N: **Because this is a 2 Chapter section, guys, check the bottom for responses to reviews! I'm a bad author, the first date took 2 chapters...not what I planned, but I don't imagine you guys will complain...I hope?

**_HEY GUYS/GIRLS _**go leave reviews on Manny's Moonlight (please), I'm tired of my editor holding the Chapters for ransom with the excuse that '**_Nobody is reviewing the story anyways_**'...pretty please! I'm sick of that being her excuse (and I really want to actually show her that people are reading it even if there aren't any reviews) because it's going to get good in the next 2 Chapters for that story and I want her to hurry the frick up! Me pressing her isn't working anymore AND I'm tired of having to hunt her ass down for 3 days only to get a '_**I haven't got to it**_ **_yet_**' :(

So please go do that? Pretty please? Also I'm running into trouble with this story now...whoops.

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Chapter 10: The First Date

Though Aster had been fairly silent the past four days he did happen to take five minutes out of his work days to briefly talk to Jack when he had happened by the steakhouse to chat, but those chats barely lasted more than five minutes before Aster's section required his attention again—and texting only went so far, especially when Aster needed to focus on both orders at the steakhouse and while he was in the Warren pushing magic into Tooth's flowers to get them to grow to the desired size by her wedding date. So he wasn't expecting what happened when he reached the mansion. He was surprised when he drove up the circular driveway of Tooth's mansion the day after he had called Jack to tell him he was open for their date, stepped outside the truck and immediately got some man's form in his arms soon as he hit the first step of the porch. He had no idea where the man in his arms came from; all he knew was that he just suddenly appeared on a gust of chilled wind.

"Crikey!" Aster barked as he flailed his arms to keep his balance from the form slamming into him and nearly knocking him on his ass.

Aster raised a brow when he looked down at the brown haired man in his arms and cocked his head to the side in curiosity—before he flinched when he realized someone he didn't know was _hugging him_. He pushed the man away from him, keeping a grip on both arms and leaned backwards. At the moment he didn't trust his eyes as he looked at the man in front of him who had brown hair and brown eyes paired with slightly tanned skin that was such a change from his usually pale features. He stood at the same height, had the same small frame and the same taste in clothing as Jack, but didn't look a damn thing like him without his pale hair, skin and eyes. So, instead of using his eyes Aster turned to his nose. He leaned forward, invading the man's personal space and going right for the scent heavy spots of him while he set away to sniffing intently, making the man he was sniffing chuckle in Jack's voice. He had Jack's vanilla and mint scent, also had the freshly fallen snow and wilderness scent that went with his sprite form as well. Aster jerked back, releasing his grip with wide eyes as he tried to figure out what had happened to Jack.

"Jack?" He questioned, his ears drooping out of uncertainty. "If yer not Jack then ya sure smell like 'im, and sound like 'im."

"Like it?" Jack asked, his wide grin cementing Aster's initial belief. Only Jack had a smile that breathtaking. Jack held up his right hand and wriggled his fingers towards Aster, flashing a wooden ring on his index finger. "It's a disguise! You know, so that you can relax a bit on our date and not have to worry about the paparazzi or anything. It was North's idea and Pitch is the one who enchanted it!"

Aster didn't know how to react so instead he held out his hand and Jack placed his, palm to palm, on Aster's with that grin still plastered on his face the entire time. Aster took the ring off, watching as Jack's features paled out and the Jack he knew stood there, snow white hair, bright blue eyes and pale skin—still grinning. Aster put the ring back on, pursing his lips, honestly impressed with Pitch's work as he watched Jack's form darken again.

"This is what I _used _to look like—but nobody would know that." Jack stated with a shrug. "Colonial times and all, no pictures unless you could afford a painter—and we couldn't."

Aster nodded, relaxing shoulders he didn't know were tensed until he saw for himself that Jack _was_ in front of him. He released Jack's hand and nodded, feeling awkward and unsure of what to do at this point. When was the last time he'd courted—_dated_—someone?

Too long.

He cleared his throat, Jack's form in front of him switching from foot to foot in excitement, and he turned towards Ms. Hubbard's rusty pickup truck. "Ah know ya want ta start the date, mate, but Ah've got a few places ta visit before Ah can really take ya anywhere. Is it a'right if we go look at a few buildings first before we do anything more? Ah have four appointments today with real estate agents that Ah need ta go too before Ah'm free—figured ya wouldn't mind."

"Nope! Not at all!" Jack stepped forward, practically sprinting towards the rusted truck and hopping into it as Aster walked around the hood. Aster spotted Tooth's shadow above him and he glanced up in the sky, seeing her flit there for a moment talking to BT before she looked down and waved to Jack who was halfway out the window as he shouted: "Mornin' Tooth!"

She smiled and waved before doing the same to Aster as he climbed into the truck and stuck the key in the ignition. He noticed Jack wriggle himself back in through the window and then buckle himself in followed by him rolling the window up. Aster shook his head, pushing in the clutch and starting the truck. It made a wheezing noise as the engine revved itself to life and then he released the brake and started the truck forward as it whined noisily from age and use. Jack propped his right leg on the edge of his seat and let his left dangle over the edge and onto the floor of the truck. They drove in silence for a good five minutes before Aster glanced over at Jack when he stopped at a red light.

"So…how long have ya been registered?" He asked, nerves making him drum his fingers on the steering wheel. "Ah heard that ya needed ta be registered in order ta be part of the band. S'why Ah ask."

Jack nodded, turning and looking towards Aster. "I've been registered for close to fifty years now. Course right after I did register I was seen by Humans again because I got that promotion to Frost Sprite literally _that _night."

Aster nodded, scratching his jaw and ignoring his foot's want to reflexively thump from how good that scratch felt. He straightened in his seat and started the truck forward again as silence fell between them yet again. How did people _do _this?

"So how about a Changeling?" Jack asked, breaking the silence as the truck's wheezed and whined as it chugged along at a fairly slow pace—mostly due to the truck's age, not Aster's driving.

Aster turned and raised a brow to Jack then smirked. "Why are ya back at the C's? Also, nope."

Jack frowned, pouting as he leaned his right arm on the armrest and gazing out the window. "Fine, how about a Jackalope?"

Aster couldn't help the snort of laughter that came from him and he watched Jack's lips quirk into a closed lip smile as he turned to him, his brown eyes glittering with humor. "Ah wish Ah had horns atop mah head, mate, but those are _sorely_ lackin'."

Jack snickered, clearing his throat and then nodded towards the street. "So what exactly are we doing when it comes to buildings?"

"Ah'm lookin' fer the shop that'll house mah flower business Ah want ta start." Aster told him, taking a left and then gazing at the addresses along the building. "Ah'm gettin' closer ta mah goal when it comes ta purchasin' the building so now all Ah have ta do it find the right spot."

"Why are you looking out here?" Jack asked, motioning towards the rather bleak area that held apartments and a few quick stop marts. "Why aren't you down on the main streets where all the businesses are?"

"Those places are so far out of mah price range Ah couldn't afford 'em even if Ah saved up for the next hundred years." Aster replied easily enough. "Flower shops aren't as easy ta own as ya would think, Jack. Takes certain skills ta start one and make it just _barely_ profitable."

"Then why do it?" Jack asked, raising a brow as Aster glanced at him.

Aster shrugged. "Ah happen ta like flowers and Ah think Ah could make some money sellin' mine from the Warren. Not ta mention Ah've got mah special Easter chocolates that nobody has the recipe ta."

Jack shot forward in his seat, eyes wide as he turned to Aster. "That's right! Why don't you just make a candy store? Or a chocolate store? Or even fudge!"

Aster frowned and parked the truck. "Ah don't want a bloody candy store, mate. Ah want a flower shop. The fact that Ah'm thinkin' of including small packages of chocolate ta be purchased with each bouquet is just an added benefit fer the customer."

Jack's mouth opened into an 'O' shape and he nodded. They both hopped from the truck and met at the tailgate where Aster tilted his head to the right and led Jack forward to the first of four buildings. Aster tried to focus on what the real estate agent was telling him, but his eyes kept drifting over to Jack who seemed _less _than impressed about the first building. Every time Jack's form halted it was to pick at something that would cause him to frown or he tsked something else that hadn't struck his fancy. Aster couldn't keep the smile from lifting the edges of his lips as he watched Jack act as if _he _was purchasing the place instead of Aster. It made him wonder just how picky Jack _could_ be. He seemed so relaxed and airy when it came to most things, but apparently he was inclined to having _some _things he was picky about.

Aster thanked the real estate agent and they split from her as another client of hers showed up to view the property as well. Aster and Jack climbed into the truck and immediately Jack turned to face Aster and crossed his arms after buckling himself in.

"_Please_ tell me you aren't considering that place? It's more run down than the home _I _lived in while alive!" Jack stated with certainty. "I mean the walls would need a complete re-sanding in order to stop some of the splinters, the floors were cold and uninviting along with the shabbily painted walls and do _not _get me started on that 'marble' fireplace. That wasn't marble; that was drywall trying to impersonate marble."

Aster chuckled at Jack's overview of the property. He had to admit the place _did _need a lot of work, but it was within his price range for purchasing. Aster backed the truck up and drove it towards the next house, which got the same scathing review as the last, followed by another and then ending with one that Jack outright wouldn't walk into for fear of tetanus. That had Aster hunching over in laughter, especially since he felt the same way when he had looked at the rusted gated door that acted as a deterrent to thieves.

"Aster _please_ can we look at one or two of the stores on the City's main street?" Jack pleaded, slumping forward.

"Jack," Aster reprimanded almost like he was dealing with a whiny child, "ya _know_ Ah can't afford any of those places. Ah wish Ah could, but it would take what little Ah've got ta purchase the ones we saw."

Jack made another wheezing growl of irritation before Aster chuckled towards him again. Jack bolted upright when they drove by a pizza parlor and Aster immediately knew what to get Jack for lunch. They grabbed a pizza with pepperoni and sausage on it, Jack enquiring about the topping choices for Aster.

"So…you can eat meat?" Jack asked, taking a large bite out of his piece.

Aster nodded, finishing the bite he'd taken and swallowing it down. "Ah can eat meat; just don't usually eat it in large quantities. Still need the protein from it just like ya."

Jack then smirked and leaned forward after finishing the bite he had chewed. "But I thought _Haremen_ didn't _eat _meat."

Aster grinned towards Jack's teasing, to which he leaned forward and stated: "Not a Hareman, remember? Ya spent the past few weeks _reminding _me of it."

Jack sat back, pursing his lips with a grin and scrunching his nose while he picked up his slice and began to analyze Aster again. "So you can eat meat…what else?"

Aster shrugged. "Everythin' ya can do Ah s'ppose—except chocolate. That's not good fer me."

Jack's jaw dropped before he started sputtering. "But…but you're going to _offer chocolates_ to people with each purchase of a bouquet! How are you going to convince them your chocolate is good if you don't sample it?"

Aster rolled his eyes. "Because Ah _know_ mah chocolates are good, mate! Ah just have ta look at every kid's face every Easter ta know they're the best…and Ah _do_ sample 'em, but only when Ah make a new recipe and Ah can't get a hold of North."

Jack's eyes widened. "Have you got any for me to try?"

Aster had been about to take another bite of pizza when he shrugged. "Ah s'ppose? Ah'm going ta start preparations for making chocolates soon as we get done today. Ah got Easter in about ten weeks, give or take a week or two."

"Woah, now!" Jack dropped his slice, halfway eaten by this point, onto his plate and he held up a hand. "You mean to tell me you make close to _seven billion_ pieces of chocolate, in varying sizes I'm assuming, in about _two months_?"

Aster shrugged. "Ah got a good system."

Jack's face held a combination of surprise, disbelief and utter astonishment. "I can see it…right? Your system?"

Aster chuckled. "Jack, Ah have something else planned fer today. Ah'll show ya—"

"No! Let's do the chocolate thing! Please!" Jack pleaded, clasping his hands together and leaning forward on the table. "I want to help with Easter."

Aster frowned. "All ya'll do is muck up mah system! Ah haven't Jack proofed it yet!"

Jack snorted out a laugh. "You're 'Jack' proofing your Warren?"

Aster glanced away innocently. "Ah _might _be."

Jack grinned, obviously taking it as good news—knowing Jack he'd take it as an open invitation to the Warren at a later date to help with Easter preparations—instead of the insult it sounded like. They continued on with their meal and hopped back into the truck when they finished, heading downtown to the local miniature golf course and stepping out into the fairly empty area due to it being a weekday—even if it _was _a Friday—and beginning up a small competition.

"If I win I get to help with the chocolates tonight." Jack stated.

"Fine. If Ah win ya stay outta the Warren till _after _Ah say so." Aster smirked when Jack's mouth fell open in another gaping 'O' before he sighed.

"Fine." Jack called heads on the coin toss, allowing for him to go first when the coin was grabbed in the air and slapped to the back of Aster's hand, revealing a head.

They played the first four holes before Aster was beginning to let his worries when it came to Jack slip through. He cleared his throat, uncaring if he lost by this point due to his anxiety taking the forefront.

"Jack…how would yer fans react ta ya dating a bloke?" He asked, raising a brow as Jack hit the ball right in the center and rebounding it off a small wall at just the right angle where he'd be able to make par on that particular hole easily enough.

Jack shrugged. "They already know I prefer men. Sure I've had a few girlfriends, but in all honesty I like men more."

"So they know yer…er…gay?" Aster asked, raising a brow for clarification.

Jack nodded. "A few people would claim I'm bi, but when it comes to me describing myself I call myself gay. What about you? I'm not making you uncomfortable by dating me, am I?"

Aster shook his head. "Ah'm indifferent, always had been. My kind…we really didn't have _set _gender pairs. It all depended on who ya happened ta like, or in some cases loved." Aster's heart clenched as he thought about his brief, so short he hadn't even had the chance to initiate the courting process properly with her—let alone kiss her, love interested before his life went to hell in a hand basket. "Ah _happened_ ta have someone when Ah was young, just barely old enough ta even start the courting process, but before Ah could do anything more ta show her mah intent she was ripped away."

Jack's face fell and he gazed to Aster with heartfelt sadness. "I'm sorry about that Bunny."

Aster smiled sadly and nodded. "It's in the past now." He sucked in a sharp breath and decided to change the subject to something much blander. "So what's yer favorite food?"

"We already ate it." Jack admitted with a laugh.

"Pizza is yer favorite food?" Aster asked in disbelief. "Ah'd have thought ya would say ice cream or something cold!"

"Pizza can be cold…" Jack stated with a quick grin as he let the sentence trail off.

"That it can be." Aster admitted, realizing he and Jack shared a favored—more snack based food for him—meal in that regard.

"What about your favorite food?" Jack asked, hitting a hole in one and whooping with glee.

"Good one!" Aster told him. "But anything ya can do, Ah can do better."

Jack rolled his eyes and Aster proceeded to swing, hit the ball and watched as it ricochet across the fake green grass into the hole in one shot again.

"Oh now who's the show pony?" Jack griped, gripping his brown colored locks and grimacing. "That just caught you up!"

"Tie breaker, mate!" Aster clapped Jack on the shoulder as he passed him, leaning down and grabbing his ball from the hole. "As fer food? Ah _always _prefer a good, crisp and cool, salad. Any kind works fer me. Has _nothing _ta do with the fact that it's healthy fer ya and _everything_ ta do with how refreshing it tastes every time ya take that first crunch of the greens." Aster and Jack made it to the last hole and took another moment to tally up their scores to find out they were in fact tied. "How often do the paparazzi follow ya around?"

Jack shrugged. "If Phil's actin' as bodyguard, which means North's workshop is being run by someone else at the time, then they keep their distance. But if I'm out alone they tend to cluster. Which is why I'm usually in the air flying around when I'm out and about by myself."

Aster frowned hearing that. "So in other words ya don't get a moment's peace if yer feet are on the ground?"

Jack sighed and nodded, looking as if admitting that bit of honesty was the hardest thing he'd had to do today. "I hope that doesn't influence your decision after today."

"It makes me…cautious. Ah told ya about the line, Ah'm well aware of what Ah may be walkin' into when it comes ta court—_dating_ ya, but Ah do ask that when it gets ta be too much ya let me catch mah breath. Ah don't handle crowds well, ya know that."

Jack nodded, grinning briefly. "So what's your favorite color?"

"Anythin' green. How about ya?"

"Anything blue, white or frosty colored. Favorite season?"

"Ya gotta ask that?" Aster asked, watching as Jack hit the highest scoring hole in the lot and frowning when he tried to figure out if he could hit it or not too. "Spring."

"Winter." Jack stepped aside and Aster knelt down, placing the ball on the ground and aiming it towards the same high scoring hole Jack had. "Holiday is Easter, isn't it?"

Aster grinned and nodded, hitting the ball and watching as it bounced upwards, landing square in the hole that Jack's ball had. Aster whistled, twirling the golf club in his hand and acting as if he was putting it into a holster at his side when he smirked towards Jack.

"That's a tie, mate!" He chuckled when Jack threw his hands up into the air and groaned.

"Gah! We didn't come up with a solution for a tie!" Jack replied, laughing when Aster walked around him and headed back for the counter to drop off the clubs.

"How about fer keepin' up Ah give ya a hint as ta where ya _should_ be lookin' when it comes ta guessin' what Ah am?" Aster supplied, glancing to Jack and feeling stunned as they stepped through the arcade when Jack's fingers laced with his, essentially holding his hand. He pushed away his worries for a brief moment and returned Jack's light grip with a firmer one, pressing their palms together and briefly gazing at Jack's eyes when they looked up to his. "Ya'll want ta start a new search in the 'Near Extinction' column and the 'Extinct' column."

"Wow, really?" Jack asked, raising a brow. "I _never _would have thought of looking in that section. So what're you telling me? That you're what, the last of your species or something?"

Aster smiled sadly, rapping his left hand on his hip nervously and looking away. He heard Jack gasp and he looked back to Jack whose eyes were wide.

"Holy…you _are_, _aren't_ you?" Aster ground his teeth, hating seeing the sympathy that flashed in Jack's eyes. "Bunny—"

"Aster." He supplied, interrupting Jack. "Mah real name is Aster and Ah would prefer ya ta call me it over Bunny. And yes, it has _everything _ta do with the fact that Ah like ya enough ta let ya call me it—let alone let ya know it. Bunny is a nickname Tooth came up with and Ah stuck with it when Ah came out'ta mah Warren a hundred years ago."

"Aster." Jack stated, almost as if he was trying to taste the name. Aster's right ear twitched that way and he perked up hearing that name cross Jack's lips. He liked it, a lot. "Aster. Well, _Aster_, what do you want to do after this?"

"It's up ta ya mate. We could go across the street and bowl, Ah heard ya like that, or we could—"

"Movie?" Jack asked, squeezing Aster's hand and making him look down towards him. "There's a movie I want to see. It's in the cheaper theater too so it won't be expensive."

Aster shrugged. "If ya want. Where do ya want ta eat after fer dinner?"

Jack grinned evilly. "We could go to Out—"

"Abso-bloody-lutely not!" Aster yelled out. "Ah get enough of that bloody place _working_ there, Ah don't need ta go there fer dinner on mah bloody night off as well!"

Jack snickered, releasing his hand and going to the passenger door to wait for Aster to open it from inside. Aster glanced down at his hand, clenching and unclenching it. He both loved and _hated_ that Jack's hand was greatly missed in his grasp. Something about that cool appendage gave Aster something _real _while at the same time Aster knew just how easily that touch could be all too addicting—especially to someone who had just rediscovered just how much of a comfort a simple touch like holding hands could hold.

* * *

To **Shanatic**: Hire-a-whore...hey you wanna write something with me about that? I can totally run with that idea...(cough)

To **RueRajaram**: Yea it is every teen male's dream...but Aster's older than the Earth and _wants _a family ;)

To **Cat871**: You have _no _idea how hard it was to write that last Chapter. I just couldn't believe I went there, but I had thought about it when I put down Chapter 8 and I was like...I could run with that. It's odd, but it will prove useful later. Earthquakes are freaky as fark in the sense that something that you know _is _moving but can't necessary feel suddenly decides it _wants_ to move is a bit upsetting. Also shit goes everywhere, I had to pick up so much glass and ceramic plates after that big one I think in the 90's? I don't know which is actually worse a tornado or an earthquake, they both leave shit in tatters afterwards :/

To **kcr**: Yep! Best thing I ever volunteered for...and fluffy baby bunnies. Who could beat that?

To **Jimbob** (welcome back!): It sure as hell _felt_ strange to write and then re-read. More's a-coming.

To **Kayla**: To the first bit: I have plans for _all _of the things you mentioned, but not necessarily in that order ;) To the second half: They have, give or take because I'm estimating off the 2014 calendar on my laptop about 11 weeks to date (it's an estimate that I hope I'm doing the math right on...not my forte). As for Bunny's rut? Just have to wait and see ;)

To **yey**: Why did you not give any to me? You're cruel for not giving me some! Anyways special scene just for you in the 2nd half of the date since you requested it (and I was actually going to put it in beforehand too you just reminded me of it- lol).

To **Queenofcrack97**: I'm sorry about the dry nose. Any chance it was due to winds? I know when the Santa Ana winds blow through where I am I'm just miserable all day and hole up in a non-windy house...or car...or building...fuck Santa Ana winds.

Finally to **Ambient2012**: HAHA your review always makes me laugh when I read it. I'm trying to keep the details to a minimum in this story. It's why I review it 3 times before I post- I think 'do I really need this?' and then I'll make the cut or not :) Glad you enjoy the story though!


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Rise of the Guardians, yadda, yadda, yadda...

**A/N: **So in case you guys haven't noticed I'm updating 2 Chapters today! I did say I was doing that at some point, just took me awhile to get to laptop since I couldn't get my mitts on desktop all day.

If you missed the last plea then please, after you finish this Chapter, go leave me reviews on Manny's Moonlight...pretty please? It can be something as simple as "More!" or "Next Chapter plz!" I want to kick my editor into working on it, especially since I sent her a text 2 days ago and she hasn't replied yet...nor to the one I just sent her now...I'm going to start getting pist here pretty quickly because my already short patience with her shit is wearing thin again.

Anyways, onto the next part!

* * *

Chapter 11: The First Date Continued

Aster lounged in the seat next to Jack, rolling his head back and forth along the back of his seat and let out another groan in the somewhat empty theater. Jack once again threw popcorn on him and he picked it off his chest and popped it into his mouth, only to groan and receive another handful thrown at him.

"Quit groaning!" Jack hissed at him, chuckling slightly and ruining the threatening tone his voice had held.

"Ah can't his bloody accent is the worst!" Aster murmured harshly. "Why, oh why, didn't they get someone from actual Australia ta do it?"

Jack snickered, tossing more popcorn at Aster just for the heck of it. Aster plucked the pieces that landed on him from his shirt and crunched them contentedly, finding that as long as he chewed he couldn't groan—at least that was what he told himself. Jack was invested in the movie and Aster was merely sitting there idly watching Jack from the corner of his eye. He grinned when Jack's eyes widened as another fight scene broke out between the overly elaborate—yet intricately done—monster as it fought the giant robot that was commanded by—and get this—two people. Aster winced when the robot gave the monster a solid right hook and he let out a short whistle, clapping his hands.

"Now _that_ right there was a _well_ delivered hit." He admitted, Jack snickering next to him.

They watched the movie for another hour and as it passed by Jack slowly, ever carefully, ended up leaning into Aster's shoulder. Aster glanced to Jack again, seeing that his currently brown eyes were glued to the screen in front of him as he munched absently on the popcorn that sat on Aster's armrest, held up by Jack's hand. Aster shook his head, rolling his eyes and smiling lightly at how adorable Jack was as he watched a movie that had caught his complete and utter attention. Aster turned his gaze back to the movie and chewed on his lower lip in thought as it played out in front of him.

This entire day so far had been Aster feeling out how he was going to react to Jack and how Jack might handle him in return. They seemed to get along famously for the time being, but what would happen when his temper flared and it was directed right at Jack, without Tooth there to block it like before? Things like this thought made Aster nervous—made his chest clench painfully with worry. He was, as he made it through this day, realizing that he _was _actually interested in Jack—romantically. He just couldn't seem to kick himself the rest of the way into that heartfelt want. His anxiety and worries were stepping in his way and it was beginning to annoy him. He'd grown attached to Jack through the course of the day and it had only grown more when he had realized just how much he liked doing something as simple as being around Jack—that had been his original intent when he'd separated himself from Jack the past four days. He wanted to see just how deeply he would be affected by Jack's lacking presence.

It had turned into a good experiment and made him a little more relaxed when it came to facing today's date. It was why he was content to see what Jack would do around him, choosing not to initiate anything primarily out of shyness. Luckily Jack seemed to be his counterpart on that half of the equation. As Aster thought about this Jack had weaseled his way across his seat a little more and had fully cuddled into Aster's side, laying his head on Aster's shoulder—eyes glued to the screen.

However as much as Aster liked Jack he couldn't help but worry about _his _big personality flaw. Aster knew his temper was fairly short these days, one too many nights spent having to rush through Easter preparations because he'd slacked off on them when he had first taken the gig, and he knew his temper was so short due to him having to take that dreaded six armed chocolate that gave him the boost he needed to complete his work on time. He had had to pop his six armed chocolate just to catch up and he did this intermittently for _years_ before he realized how much it was affecting his mental state. He had noticed that he wasn't as calm and collected as he used to be and logic had nearly flung itself out the window as he jumped from one wild conclusion to the next, not taking into account the events as they had unfolded and instead choosing to just go with where his illogical mind took him. Luckily he wasn't diminishing his own mind anymore with that particular recipe—which he still kept just in case—and he had sorted himself out.

He had figured out a system that worked well and efficiently, and also allowed for days like today where he could slack off and allow himself some free time to spend with friends—or in this case Jack.

His gaze snapped back to Jack and he resisted the urge to clasp his hand again, especially since it was no longer holding the popcorn bag. It had felt _so_ good to have that unspoken claim on Jack as they had walked hand in hand—even if it _was_ a short distance through the miniature golf's arcade to the truck in the parking lot. He had liked the feel of Jack's hand grasping his, feeling oddly content. However when they had jumped into the truck Aster had asked Jack why he'd chosen to skip the arcade and bowling that North had told him about to distract himself from wallowing on missing Jack's hand in his. Jack had simply told him: "Well, we'll need _something_ to do for the second date…if it happens."

Aster glanced at Jack's hand again, watching as his nimble fingers worried the wooden ring absently. Finally he snuffed out that want to touch Jack, feeling that it _may _have been too much on the first date. Once was enough…right? Especially if it was the first date?

Aster growled to himself irritably, unable to come to the conclusion he wanted and finding that he was floundering when it came to courting Jack. He had no idea what he was doing, why had he agreed to this?

"Well, that was good!" Jack sighed out as he stretched before turning to Aster and making him realize the movie was over. "So, ready for dinner?"

"Ya just ate popcorn, _how _are ya ready fer dinner?" Aster asked, gaping towards Jack in disbelief.

Jack shrugged. "We're going someplace unique for dinner, my treat. Normally I get a giant bucket of popcorn, but since I have a surprise for you for dinner then I got the smaller bag."

Aster narrowed his eyes. Jack giving him a surprise? That will _never _be a good thing in their relationship. Aster trusted Jack—mostly, but when it came to surprises he trusted Jack about as far as he could throw him. He knew Jack was too wrapped up in being a trickster for the 'surprise' to be anything more than some type of joke or prank. But he lamented that it was their first date and he didn't think Jack would do anything bad…yet.

He stood when Jack did and then followed Jack from the house they had been sitting in within the theater and filtered out with the small group that had sat with them. He and Jack were heading for the lobby before Aster halted suddenly, gripping Jack's shoulder and steering him towards the back exit as he heard the voice of Angelique echoing from the lobby—his ears having twitched back and forth to pick up the sound. Jack glanced up at him with curiosity when they reached the back exit; Angelique's shout the only thing that followed them before Aster and Jack slipped from the theater, leaving _that _problem behind for the time being. Aster lead Jack around the building to the truck where he quickly got in and unlocked it, Jack raising a curious brow towards him as he sent a sideways nervous smile towards Jack. He backed the truck from the parking spot and drove by the theater's front entrance in time to see Angelique step from inside to attempt to wave him down.

He glanced out the rearview mirror when they passed her, watching as Angelique shrugged her shoulders and then stepped back inside. He let out a breath of relief and buckled himself in when Jack pointed out that he'd neglected his seatbelt. He didn't pay any mind to the silence between them before Jack cleared his throat.

"So…what was that about?" Jack asked, crossing his arms and warily looking towards Aster.

He waved a hand in the air, choosing to go with a lie as he stated, "Oh just the usual Hareman business. Join our Community. Come visit us on a family picnics. Here's our card, give us a ring when yer ready ta join us. The usual." Aster huffed, easily able to fake his irritation with that particular subject and making it easily believable as he channeled his annoyance. "Angelique invited me ta join her Community and Ah told her Ah'd call her when Ah thought it through." He glanced over to Jack who looked somewhat relieved. "Ah don't plan on callin' her, mate."

"What? Why not?" Jack asked, raising a brow. Aster felt himself pale when he heard Jack say that before he realized Jack was still completely unaware of what had been propositioned to Aster just a day ago by Angelique…and he hoped to keep it that way. No need for Jack to know something like _that_…right? Jack's voice snapped him from his thoughts as he continued with: "I hear their Communities are _great_. Like a giant family and everyone is reliable—it's what makes Haremen such great fans. They tend to cluster together and like the same things so word gets passed around and then you go from ten fans to four hundred in the course of a night. Not to mention they can get fairly rowdy when they get charged for the concerts. Now _that_ is when the annoying parts of them disappear completely and they just become _amazing_ people."

Aster smirked towards Jack, hearing the admiration he had for his Haremen fans. Jack did have a point when it came to Haremen tending to cluster, and it was apparently bank if you managed to attract their attentions if what Jack was telling him was right. Their numbers didn't just multiply, they grew exponentially—which meant a small fan base the size of a dirt pile could grow to Mt. Everest overnight.

"So, where am Ah going fer dinner?" Aster asked, listening to Jack as he gave directions.

When Aster pulled up to the spot Jack had indicated he immediately felt how poor he was. The rusted, worn, truck he drove stuck out like a sore thumb against the pristine, slick, European cars parking in the parking lot as he drove forward towards the velvet rope entry with bright red carpeting. He glanced over to Jack who bailed out of the truck and stepped around the tailgate soon as he stopped the truck where he had told him too. Aster flinched when some suited man opened his door for him and stepped aside while holding out his hand. Aster stared at this curiously. It took Jack urging him from the truck, plucking the keys from his hand and handing them off to the man who stood idly by the truck waiting for Aster to finally move. He was soon enlightened by Jack to that guy's job entitlement: Valet.

That simple word and that man's actions immediately made Aster realize he had just walked into a situation that _may_ be dangerous for his already pitiful bank account.

"Ahhh…Jacky, where are we exactly?" Aster asked, his gaze going about the entry area and taking in the coat and tie attire of the men while glancing over the women who each wore overly elaborate dresses and had flaunty jewelry. Not the mention the interior had _all_ flawless furniture with intricate details to them and _cloth napkins_ that looked brand new. He glanced down at his jeans and plain, v-neck, gray shirt and for the first time in his life he felt as dirty as Hog was even if his clothes didn't even have a hint of dirt to them. "We are _not _dressed fer this place, mate. We need ta leave—"

Aster froze and watched in amazement as Jack rattled off something in Italian to the man at the host podium. He gaped at Jack who slipped his wooden ring off briefly after ducking into one of the more private areas where prying eyes couldn't easily see him and returning from there with his ring back in place. Suddenly there was a flurry of movement and Jack gently took Aster's forearm and pulled him forward after the maitre d finished with being flustered along with a woman who seemed utterly ecstatic at receiving Jack and chattered away to him in Italian—then what sounded like French. They were seated in a private area on one of the upper floors and Aster couldn't respond when he was asked what he wanted to drink. He was stunned speechless with what had just taken place.

Jack had gotten _them_, dressed in t-shirts and jeans, into a jacket and tie restaurant _and _in the private section of the restaurant. He shook himself from his astonished state and looked at the man across from him. So he wasn't the only being in the world with a few tricks, or secrets if one wanted to go that way, up his sleeve.

Jack apparently ordered his drink for him when he had recovered and then he watched as Jack's head tilted to the side when they were left in peace. "You okay there Cottontail?"

"How'd ya know—nevermind!" Aster shouted in a hushed voice. "How—where—what was that?"

Jack grinned. "That was me talking to Ambrosia, the woman who owns this joint. The food here is pricey but I _swear_ it's delicious, best I ever had. That and she has some of the best wine on the market, comes from her own winery…maybe you should talk to her about helping out one of her vineyards. The grapes keep dying before they flourish."

"Well where is that vineyard?" Aster asked, shaking his head in disbelief as he briefly got sidetracked and then immediately slamming the menu closed the second he noticed nothing had prices on it. "Jack, mate, Ah'll take the steakhouse over this. There aren't even prices on the meals!"

"Quit worrying!" Jack waved him off and made a raspberry in the air. "I said I was going to cover dinner, plus it's for a _good_ cause. You've obviously never ate here before so consider it my treat to you as well."

Aster warily glanced between Jack and the menu. He wasn't entirely alright with the situation at hand. He didn't feel right letting Jack pay for an expensive meal, especially when the things they had done today were fairly cheap. He sucked in a sharp breath and looked over the menu, debating with himself as he gazed over it and tried to pick the thing that sounded like the cheapest thing on the menu—like a cube of cheese, but he regretfully didn't find that available on the menu. He jumped when a wine glass was set next to him and the second glass was filled with water as bread with vinegar and butter topping choices was dropped off that the table. Jack rattled off another order, making Aster all the more anxious.

"What'd ya just order?" Aster asked, remembering it had something to do with the word salad and soup.

"I got us the Gumbo soup with the garden salad for an appetizer." Jack stated with a shrug before he shot forward across the small table they shared and leaned on his elbows. "The Gumbo here is to—ha ha—_die_ for."

Aster groaned, putting his hand on Jack's chuckling face and pushing him back. "Sit the fuck down that was _awful_!"

The meal seemed to fly by and Aster nearly died when Jack had let him see the check. He stared at Jack in disbelief when he shrugged off a five hundred dollar bill as if it was nothing. Aster and Jack climbed back into the rusty truck when the Valet brought it back, who was grinning ear to ear and then telling Aster he enjoyed driving the thing because it had brought back memories of his late grandfather's truck. Jack handed him an overly large tip and Aster climbed into the truck, buckling in as Jack did and starting it forward towards his house.

"A'right, fer _that_ meal Ah guess ya can help out with Easter a little." Aster supplied, Jack clapping his hands excitedly. "But under one condition."

"What?" Jack shot out quickly, unable to hide his excitement as he literally vibrated in his seat.

"Ya'll see when we get there mate. It's mah turn fer a surprise." Aster told him, smirking when Jack slumped forward with a groan.

Aster parked the truck in Ms. Hubbard's driveway and he led Jack inside, who halted to talk with Ms. Hubbard for a moment as Aster went up to his room to get his gems again. He shifted forms, wriggled a gem free with his claws, and then shifted back. He met Jack in the kitchen and beckoned for his hand, which he held out without question this time and allowed Aster to easily imbue the gem to his wrist. A small walk into the back, followed by Aster prying his shoes from his feet and discarding them at the porch then him tapping his foot on the ground led them to the Warren where Jack immediately started forward and gaped at the section that Tooth's flowers sat in.

"Wow!" Jack stated, kneeling down next to them and clucking his tongue in disbelief. "I didn't think North and Tooth were serious when they said you could make things grow overnight."

Aster shrugged. "It's a gift. C'mon, into mah burrow."

Jack followed behind Aster. He ducked briefly and led Jack from the blank, empty, entryway over to the right where the kitchen sat. Aster pulled out a chair and told Jack to sit; followed by him telling Jack to close his eyes and keep them that way. Jack _barely_ managed to oblige, which was exactly when Aster grabbed a hand towel from the oven's handle and tied it around Jack's head to keep him from peeking. He dug through his fridge shortly after that, pulling out the small carrot cake he had made especially for Jack. He grabbed a fork, relaxing in his own home where he knew no prying eyes were and hiked a hip up onto the table he had sat Jack at.

"First Jack, today was amazin'. Ah really did enjoy it." He stated honestly. "Now _this _is payment fer me taking four bloody days ta get back ta ya, part of which is almost out of mah hands—"

"You _were_ busy at work a lot when I did manage to drop by." Jack supplied with a shrug. "Can I take this towel off?"

Aster slapped his hand away from the towel and huffed. "Would ya quit interruptin' me?" He placed the carrot cake on the table and expertly cut a piece with the edge of the fork he held, stabbing it and then holding a hand under it to keep any crumbs from dropping into Jack's lap—even if they would end up there by the end of the dessert anyway. "Now open."

Jack sighed, but did as he was told. Aster chuckled to himself as he imagined a creaking sound as Jack's lower jaw dropped. He shook off that image and placed the bit of cake into Jack's mouth, which was followed by Jack chewing when he removed the fork and then humming his appreciation.

"What—?" Jack asked, prying the towel from his head and blinking down at the small piece of cake. "_That_ is carrot cake? This tastes like something from Ambrosia's!"

Aster grinned and nodded. "Ah believe I mentioned that Ah _had _made carrot cake before the first time Ah met ya."

"But you hadn't made it that night!" Jack snapped his fingers and whooped. "Damn, Aster it's delicious!"

He grinned as he heard Jack use his requested name so easily—and it _still_ sounded _so _good to his ears. "Enjoy, Ah made it in apology fer takin' so long ta get back ta ya. It's also yer surprise."

Jack shrugged, a grin plastered on his face. "You had things you were doing and I understand that you needed time to think about things. Apology accepted."

Aster handed over the fork and watched in amusement as Jack dug in, froze, then looked up to him. He finished chewing and swallowed, leaning onto his arm and waving a crumb and icing filled fork towards him.

"So…are we official?" Jack asked, Aster catching that hope filled glint to Jack's eyes and hearing it echoed in his voice.

"Jack…ya don't even know what Ah am…" He tried, but he knew there was no way he was going to deny himself Jack…just no way.

"Aster I don't care _what _you are. I like _you_; I'd like you no matter _what _you were." Jack told him, the sincerity of that statement making Aster's heart clench—but this time in delight.

"Normally Ah wouldn't say one date was enough." Aster told him honestly, but shrugged when Jack looked crestfallen. "But considerin' that there's just _something _about ya that Ah'm absolutely drawn ta then Ah'd say we're official. But let's do ourselves a favor and take it slow, yea? We haven't known each other _that _long."

Jack's grin was so bright that it made his eyes change color to a crisp blue, him having removed the ring for his disguise the second they got into the driveway of Ms. Hubbard's home. Jack pushed up from the chair and went over to Aster, who surprised even himself when he encased Jack into his arms and held onto him tightly—not quite ready to do more than hug Jack.

Sure, he was stepping outside of his comfort zone already by dating Jack, but that didn't mean he shattered the walls around him as well. One step at a time, and Jack seemed amicable with that idea.

By the end of the night Jack had ate the carrot cake, helped Aster prep the kitchen area for cooking his chocolate by moving all the pots, molds and ingredients into the small space where Aster told him too. They split from each other's company at last when it reached two in the morning, Aster having his first content night of sleep in _ages_ as he fell asleep thinking about his unique Jack soon as he got home to his burrow.

* * *

Is that how you get ants? Well...yea if Jack's spilling crumbs all over your burrow that kinda _is _how you get ants.

Anybody know what movie Jack and Aster were watching? I can tell you I loved it and I did groan as well at the accents- but it's still fun as hell to watch :D

Anyways I hope that was good for you guys! Nothing too showy yet- it _is _the first date ;)


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Rise of the Guardians, yadda, yadda, yadda...

To **Cat871**: Fuckin' A! Pacific Rim was awesome haha. I actually heard on the internet that people were bitching about the accents. As for golf? Me and anything golf related = Happy Gilmore style. I couldn't hit jack shit till I tried it like Adam Sandler, with a run and a swing...lotsa people got pist and I kinda sorta maybe got kicked off the driving range...whoops. I'm a History major, got a BA in it already but I prefer Colonial periods. For example US (of course), Hawaii, Caribbean's and I'm thinking about starting Australia soon I just need to find a good starting point since I've never had a class on that particular continent :/ So the Chernobyl thing I'm going to stay silent on and hopefully chalk it up to radiation is still too high to safely dig through the area and archive more info so it'll probably be regurgitated info for awhile (Don't kill me I only know the basics of Chernobyl).

To **Queenofcrack97**: 1) It's so fluffy you're gonna die. 2) It_ is _full of Jack/Rabbit...and it feels odd writing strictly like this, usually I have plot stepping in the way all the time...too much time writing Manny's.

To **yey** (both reviews on both Chapters): Yea Aster's losing the fight for sure, poor baby- but he needs it ;D Also you're very welcome! Thanks for reminding me about the carrot cake part. I actually did forget I was going to add that bit in on the first date and you reminded me of it :) Finally, Hrm...magical powers of persuasion? Maybe, just maybe...in time :D

Finally to **Shanatic**: I loved that last chapter of My Regular XD Plz moar, my Taken threat still applies to you! Also glad you thought the last two chapters were cute :3

**A/N: **I'm doing something very not me today. I'm feeling oddly depressed today, bummer :/

Here's the next Chapter- I'll take the hint the last 2 were hits and misses for the lot of you, either that or you're busy. You guys _did _notice I posted up 2 Chapters yesterday...right? Because it's a bit confusing to see 80 views on Chapter 10 and 140 on Chapter 11...dafuq? Don't break your authors guys, it isn't funny! (lol)

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Chapter 12: Days Go By

Aster had spent the weekend and well into the week working on the chocolates, nearly being late for work on Monday and Tuesday and often times forgetting to eat lunch and dinner. He stepped to and from his burrow in his Pooka form for the best movement and ease, having spent nearly the past four days strictly in that form as he switched between caring for Tooth's flowers, ensuring the eggs were growing properly on their respective flower-like plants and then he'd go back and stir the chocolate. He was just finishing pouring out a mold when his phone chirped at him from the counter, followed by the thing trying to buzz itself right off the counter as it vibrated along with the ring. He finished pouring the last bit of the chocolate into the mold and turned to the phone, opening it and hitting speaker.

"Aster!" Jack's voice rang out through the kitchen of his burrow and he winced at the shout as he set the phone onto the counter. He liked Jack, but he'd forgotten how noisy he could be.

"Hey Jacky." He responded, making a hell of a racket as he set the molding he had just finished filling onto a large holding tray just behind him. "How've ya been, mate?"

"I've been good. You've been busy again, haven't you?" Jack's voice asked with a laugh accompanying it. "I've barely heard from you the past four days!"

Aster frowned. He was busy! Sure he liked Jack, knew they were dating, but he had a lot of things to do with a quickly approaching deadline! He exhaled and pulled up another mold, moving quicker and easier in his original form as he went back over to the pot and began mixing the next batch of chocolates on the stove's top.

"Ah know, Ah know." Aster yelled from his stove. "Ah'm just busy getting' the chocolates made."

"What!" Jack's voice screeched, making Aster's ears droop as he winced and hunched his shoulders. "I want to help!"

Aster glanced around at his already clustered kitchen. It was spotless, even with _all _the trays and molds cluttering the room and from all the work he had done within the small confines. Not a drop of chocolate had been spilled anywhere, and he hoped to keep it that way. Made clean up after Easter that much easier. But he was sure all that would change the second he let Jack into his kitchen to help with the chocolates. He glanced to the right, looking at the large tray holding cart, the first of a hundred—the other's sitting all through the first floor of his burrow, and narrowed his eyes. The chocolates there were ready to be popped from their molds and adorned with decorations from frosting that would harden overnight.

"Think ya could frost a few chocolates fer me?" Aster asked him, shouting it again as he stirred a pawful of sugar into the large pot. "Ah can teach ya how ta get the chocolates out'ta the mold and then ya could frost 'em—with icing, not yer cold."

"Yea!" Jack's excitement carried through the phone. "Are you going to pick me up through the back?"

"Ah'll be there in a tic mate." Aster told him. "Ah need ta finish stirring this pot together and then Ah'll be there ta pick ya up—same spot as always."

Aster finished up stirring together the ingredients in the pot and quickly stepped from the kitchen, shifting into his Hareman shape and jumping down into his bedroom—completely naked in this shape. He tugged on a pair of jeans and followed that with a yellow shirt, skipping tugging on shoes. He jumped upwards from his bedroom and sprinted through his Warren to his tunnels, opening one up into Tooth's backyard. Jack poked his head over the edge and grinned when he saw Aster below, followed by him jumping down and embracing Aster into a tight hug that was returned earnestly.

"Missed you." He said as he pulled away.

"Ah missed ya too Frostbite." Aster chucked Jack's jaw with his right knuckle and then tilted his head to the left. "Hurry, Ah need ta get back ta mixing the chocolate."

They rushed back into the Warren where Aster grabbed up one of the gems from the entry area and imbued it with his magic to allow Jack entry. Then Aster led Jack to the burrow and immediately ducked into the kitchen to check the chocolate before he grabbed up the wooden box he had carved himself that held all of the non-perishable frosting containers with reusable squeezing tubes that each had switchable tops for various designs. Aster then went over to one of his few cookbooks and tugged out a small example sheet of decorations for Jack to follow if he wanted.

"Ah mean, they're all pretty self explanatory." Aster stated, leaning onto his elbows on the table and wringing the frosting tube between his hands with expertise. Jack watched over his shoulder and he glanced at him as he finished up the small egg-shaped chocolate with pre-determined outlines on it for the frosting. He had been using it to show Jack what he meant. "All ya really need ta do is vary the colors up a bit and then ya should be through that entire rolling tray by the time the next one is ready."

"Got it." Jack nodded, taking up Aster's spot and beginning to set away working on another. Aster stood there for a moment and watched him, making sure he did it right before he nodded and began to step away, but then Jack halted him with, "Where do I put them after I finish?"

Aster turned and pointed to the pile of cookie trays that were all stacked together in a messy pile with more shelved rolling trays for them to sit on—but with twice as many spots to hold the trays for the finished product. "Ya set as many as ya can on those and then ya wait fer 'em ta dry."

"Can't I just freeze them?" Jack asked, straightening with a shrug. "I meant think about it. Freezing them with just the right amount of my frost magic will harden them and make them safe to stack."

Aster rubbed his neck nervously. "Ah don't know Jack. That'll take time ta figure out just how much frost ta—" Aster blinked, his eyes widening when Jack waved a chilled hand over the chocolate Aster had just finished. He narrowed his eyes towards Jack, picking up the chocolate and testing the frosting on it to see that it had, in fact, hardened. "Ah'll be…"

"Am I hired for help?" Jack asked with a wide grin.

"Fer the moment." Aster stated with a smirk. He reached out a hand and tugged Jack to his side with an ounce of pride swelling in his chest as he realized Jack had actually put focus into adding just the right amount of chill to keep from ruining the chocolate while still freezing the icing so that it would set. "Now get ta work. If ya keep doing that we'll be _ahead_ of schedule in no time. Which means more time Ah get ta spend with ya."

With that Aster gave Jack's shoulder a quick squeeze again and stepped back into the kitchen. He stirred the pot of chocolate with care after adding in a few more touches of sugar and turned to dump the concoction into the molds with twice as much care. He filled two trays with that batch and set the pot back onto the stove, setting away to repeating the motions that were practically engrained into his muscle memory. He turned when he heard movement what felt like moments later and then saw Jack saunter into the kitchen, halting and leaning on the small corner of the kitchen's counter when he saw it would be tricky to get to where Aster was by the stove.

"How long have you been doing this?" Jack asked, watching with wide eyes as he poured more finished chocolate into molds.

"What, ya mean today? Or for how long have Ah done _this_?" Aster asked, his movements slower and slightly clumsier from having to do this in his Hareman shape over his original one.

Jack shrugged. "Either or, really."

"Ah've been at this fer four days just about with only about five hours of sleep a night. As fer how _long_ Ah've been doing this? Well, let's just say Ah started it the second other Supernaturals started showin' up and we realized we had jobs we needed ta do ta help the world out. Ah chose Easter because it was everything that encompassed me and it inadvertently chose me in the process. Ah was seen as a fertility god at some point in mah life too. _Not _the sexual one, just so we settle _that _immediate response." Aster stated as he quirked a brow towards Jack and knew immediately that was the connection Jack was going for the second his trap shut. "How far did ya get out there?"

"Well considering that it's been three hours now," Aster flinched hearing that, turning the checking the clock behind him and frowning as time had once again slipped by. Jack then continued with, "I was wondering if you could renew the gem—it's blinking angrily at me—and I got through at least one of those rolley tray holding cart things."

Aster snorted out a quick laugh, turning and going towards Jack after turning off the stove and tossing the empty pot that he'd just poured to the side of the stove. "Unfortunately Ah need ta get ta work." He ignored his stomach as it growled. "As fer the gem it'll last fer another half hour or so and by then we'll both be out'ta the Warren."

"What? You mean I only got to do this for three hours? I didn't even get to _talk_ to you!" Jack whined.

Aster sighed. "Jack, Ah'm sorry. It won't be quite this hard ta get a hold of me and chat with me _after _Easter." He actually lied to Jack with that. He was going to flat disappear for a month soon as Tooth's wedding passed—_if _his rut didn't start before then. He hoped it didn't, because then he wouldn't get to see all the work he had put into Tooth's flowers be used. "But Ah can assure ya if ya keep helpin' me out Ah might find mahself with a little extra time ta spend with ya as ya wish."

"But—" Jack cut himself off when Aster jumped down the hole into his bedroom. "Uh…Aster?"

"What?!" He barked, grabbing up his work clothes from their hangers—the only clothes he actually put _on _hangers, and walked them to the nest-like bed. He tossed them onto the end blanket that wasn't covered in stray hairs and began to pull off his shirt.

"Never mind!" Jack shouted from above. "Actually, what's down there?"

"Mah bedroom, mate!" Aster shouted, unbuttoning his jeans and walking over to another hand carved dresser he had made himself and pulled out a pair of boxer briefs. "Why?"

"I was just wondering!" Jack replied, his voice sounding distant to Aster's ears and they twitched and swiveled to catch his voice.

He emerged a few minutes later, hopping up from his bedroom and seeing Jack leaning forward, his tongue stuck out of the corner of his mouth with his brows furrowed together in concentration as he frosted another chocolate. Aster grinned, beginning the process of knotting the tie that was going to go around his throat while he let his eyes roam over Jack. He stepped forward, pursing his lips and nodding happily at the work Jack had put in. It was fairly impressive, nearly perfect like he had done it himself. He pushed the finished tray into the storage area in the back and covered it with a plastic covering to wait until the rest of the chocolates were finished before he tucked them all into baskets. He pushed a second tray out into the area Jack was sitting in and he waited for Jack to finish the last one before he escorted him from the Warren and back to Tooth's yard.

His stomach growled yet again and Jack raised a brow. "Are you doing some new fad diet where you starve yourself?"

Aster chuckled, reaching his hands out and clasping Jack's as they stood on the back porch of Tooth's home. "No, Ah just forgot ta eat again today. Ah keep tellin' mahself, 'Ya can eat _after_ ya finish this batch' and then Ah forget because Ah start another."

"Want me to bring you food tonight?" Jack asked, swinging their clasped hands to and fro.

Aster shook his head at both Jack's need to constantly move and to his question. "No, Ah'll be a'right. Ah never know if Ah'm gettin' a break or not anyways. Best ta just wait till Ah'm finished tonight."

Jack's eyes widened and he grinned. "So does that mean you're coming over tonight after you finish work to eat?"

Aster frowned at Jack. "Where did ya get _that_ from? Ah just said Ah was going ta wait on eatin' till Ah get back ta the Warren."

"Oh c'mon!" Jack whined again, pushing his lower lip out in a pout. "Please? I'll make…er…how about Mexican Pizza?"

"What the hell is Mexican pizza?" Aster asked, tilting to the left and looking at the clock just inside, nodding to North who walked by and lifted a hand in greeting before grabbing a mug for coffee.

"Its corn tortillas, which you lay flat, topped with beans and beef then you add in all those delicious taco toppings!" Jack stated, acting as if he was drooling as he lulled his tongue to the side. "It's _so_ good! I add on three types of cheeses and then—"

Aster tugged Jack into a hug, cutting him off and wrestling his hands free. Jack returned the hug, tucking his face into Aster's chest and taking in a breath. Aster nuzzled his nose into Jack's hair, taking a heady inhale of his scent and then giving Jack's back a reassuring rub before he then stepped back, glancing at the clock one more time and then took the first three steps down onto the grass.

"Sorry ta cut ya off, mate, but Ah'm late fer work now." He told him, tapping his uncovered foot onto the ground and letting the hole appear before he leaned forward and grabbed up his shoes. He got ready to step off to the left and glanced over to Jack who leaned forward onto the railing of the porch. "Ah'll call ya when Ah finish work tonight, a'right? If it isn't too late ya can come back and help more with the chocolates. And don't worry about cookin' anythin' up. Ah'll grab a bite ta eat when Ah can."

He stepped down into the hole with Jack's smiling face being the last thing he saw before he sprinted through the tunnel in his Hareman shape, emerging in the wooded area around the parking lot of the steakhouse.

He stepped through the entrance with Pudge actually glaring at him for being late for once before he realized why. It was especially busy tonight, at least for a Wednesday, which meant Aster wasn't getting a break like he had hoped. He steeled his nerves for tonight and got ready to deal with ample amounts of bullshit in the course of five hours. He spent the entire five hours working without a break and sighed when someone just _barely_ walked in before they were half hour from closing. Aster ground his teeth in irritation when he saw Pudge walk them to his section out of the corner of his eye and he hauled the tub of dirty dishes up into his arms and walked them over to the kitchen area to be washed in the sink.

He turned from the kitchen area and froze, literally stopping dead in his tracks when he saw Angelique sitting in his section with her four Haremen Community members. Aster's eyes danced to the four he had never bothered to learn the names of and noticed each of them held their own unique looks. The woman next to Angelique for example had her hair cut in a pixie cut, a fawn color with bangs that covered one of her pink colored eyes while her skin held an outline of white around her sternum while the rest of her skin matched her hair color. The one to her right was a bigger woman who had long black hair that was cut bluntly with one of her ears flopping as Jack had described earlier while her eyes were a beady brown and paired with pale white skin that held dots of black to it like freckles.

The next woman to the previous one's right was lithe, and small—a lot like Jack. She had silver hair—which was actually just a sharp dark gray color intermixed with whites and blacks to give it that 'silver' look, short wide ears that leaned her more towards the 'dwarfish' Hareman that could be seen in the Netherlands. This woman's skin was grayish colored with the same white outline around her sternum as the fawn haired one. The last Hareman was a meek looking, another small one, woman who was biting at her nail anxiously. Her hair was a pale white, her eyes a bright pink and her skin was flawlessly white. Her ears had missing pieces of skin around their edges, almost looking as if someone had pierced the outsides of her ears in a tagging fashion and then pulled them and the adjoining skin off leaving ragged edges to what used to be gorgeously shaped ears.

Aster tightened his tie and felt his ears press down firmer in irritation against the back of his head as he reached the table, choosing to officially boot these women from his life by acting as cold and heartless towards them as he could muster while still managing to keep his job in the process.

"G'day, what can Ah get ya ta start with fer drinks?" He asked, glancing at each of them with a cold look to his eyes.

"Five waters." Angelique said and then Aster glanced at the all white Harewoman across from Angelique who looked as if she wanted to debate that request, but apparently let it go.

"Anythin' fer an appetizer?" Aster asked, and then added on: "Ah should let ya know the kitchen closes soon and we're out of steak and shrimp."

Angelique waved him off. "We'll take the Artichoke dip again and each of us will have the soup and salad combo, garden salad and corn chowder soup."

"Works fer me." Aster told her, jotting it down on his notepad and stalking off to the kitchen clenching his hand. He dropped the order off and walked up next to Pudge who was looking towards his section with a frown. Aster leaned towards Pudge and hissed: "Why'd ya not tell them ta shove on?"

"Customers that walk in late still deserve to be served, even as annoying as that is." Pudge replied, then glanced to Aster. "Aside from those Harewomen getting you into a bad mood can I ask why you've got a little extra skip to your step tonight?"

Aster frowned. "What d'ya mean?"

"Oh come on, don't play coy." Pudge told him, nudging him with his elbow and following him to the table as he helped serve the waters to the women before he followed Aster to the kitchen to grab up the meals that were easily fixed and had already been laid out along with the appetizer. "There is _something_ that you're genuinely happy about."

Aster winced when he noticed Pudge's voice carried over the fairly quiet dining room. He chanced a look over his shoulder and grimaced as he watched Angelique's head snap his direction with a smile curving her lips. He rolled his eyes when he realized she had heard that—and immediately assumed it was _her _that Pudge was referring too when it came to being happy. Great.

"Ah'll tell ya later." He replied, Pudge helping him drop off the meals and then Aster winced when he got back to the waiter's section and his stomach growled again, reminding him what he had told Jack—that he'd get food. "Why don't we go grab a bite at the café down the street? Ah'm so fungry."

"Fungry?" Pudge asked, chuckling.

"Fucking hungry." Aster supplied, having finally had the chance to use Jack's phrase that he had sent in a text to Aster a day ago as he grabbed food from somewhere. "Do ya want ta?"

Pudge shrugged. "Sure. I could stand to get a coffee."

Aster hurried Angelique out the door with the promise of continuing to think over her proposition and tugged Pudge out it after he'd locked the place down, leading him down the street. Pudge kept pressing him for answers, to which Aster replied with calling Jack on their way to the café and inviting him over to join them—even if he had already ate that night. He and Pudge shuffled into the booth at the café and Aster already had a meal ready in mind for himself—a chicken burger with their seasoned fries paired with a hot cup of tea. By the time the waitress walked away after dropping off their drinks and getting Aster's order Pudge turned to Aster. He watched as Pudge meticulously poured sugar into his black coffee and swirled the dark liquid inside with care.

"Alright, so?" Pudge pressed. "What's got you kicking your heels together in joy?"

Aster grinned, spotting Jack walking through the entrance and lifting his hand into the air. The second Jack saw him he immediately zipped over to their booth and sat down next to Aster who immediately looped his arm over Jack's shoulder in a greeting hug—even though they'd only been split up for five hours it felt like ages, especially after tonight—and didn't remove his arm from Jack's shoulders until his food arrived. He also noticed that Jack had worn his disguise again.

"Pudge, ya remember Jack, don'tcha? Antarctic Blizzard, came in a few weeks ago?" He asked, Pudge nodding absently while he sipped his mug of coffee. "Well…Pudge meet Jack—in disguise might Ah add."

He watched Pudge tilt his head to the side and then gaze towards Jack. His eyes widened and he sat back, realization dawning on him.

"I'll be damned. That _is _Jack." Pudge stated, his eyes zipping to Aster's. "But what's he got to do with it?"

Aster cleared his throat nervously, unsure how Pudge was going to handle this particular bit of news. "He's…he's mah boyfriend. We just started dating Friday—and we only got the one date in."

"Well if you weren't busy all the time we'd have more!" Jack stated, nudging his side with a quick teasing grin. He then turned to Pudge and held out his hand. "Jack Frost."

"Just call me Pudge. My other name is so Hawaiian nobody can pronounce it right." Pudge stated, taking Jack's hand.

Aster saw the gleam of fun to Jack's brown eyes and then he snorted. "Oh ya did it now Pudge. He's going ta try ta pronounce it."

"What is it?!" Jack nearly shouted, leaning forward in excitement.

Aster had a hard time not choking on his meal as Pudge tried to teach Jack how to say his name. He laughed frequently that night, eventually taking Jack back to Tooth's place and ducking off to his Warren—telling Jack to get to sleep for the time being seeing as what little help Jack had given him already had set him a day ahead in his work.

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Also omg guys, the mistakes in the last 2 Chapters...why didn't any of you tell me about them! I re-read it this morning and I almost choked (there's a theme to my revelations). I am _so _sorry about those mistakes haha, I fixed them :)

So hope this was okay. Next Chapter is a bit of a lulling one- but needed, and it sets up Date _Night_! No, I'm not spoiling it...resist Cheeks, resist! I know you love your dedicated reviewers and readers but _shut yer trap_!


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Rise of the Guardians, yadda, yadda, yadda...

To **Cat871**: She's still going to cause some trouble on the horizon :( Also I went to a small Uni but it was a struggle to get the classes for American History :/ Also I'm really excited to meet another Historian because then I can be myself and know that my normally socially awkwardness is mostly ignored because it contains an odd bit of facts XD

To **Sticksandstones** (welcome back): I was going for cute and sweet! I rarely do that...XD It's easy to repost uber fast when you don't have a slacking editor holding you up ;D

To **Queenofcrack97**: I'm glad I brightened your day up ^_^

To **Tigermike83** (welcome back): Date night is up next! Also I'll add in Jack trying to pronounce Pudge's name. It's why I avoided doing it, I wanted a funny scene for later since Jack _still _doesn't say it right ;)

To **kcr**: The love...I feels it. I keep spotting mistakes though and it makes me twitch XD

To **Shanatic**: Shoosh you! I already gave you a sneak peak to my newest Jack/Bunny fic. Uhhh...just ignore this message to Shanatic guys...whoops.

Finally to **yey**: Oh yea, he's getting on a slippery slope now ;) Pudge is a nice guy_, _he also likes Aster even though he glared at him for being late- course he _is _the manager haha.

**A/N: **To those of you reading and leaving reviews on Manny's, thank you! :)

Enjoy the lulling Chapter ;) Date night is next.

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Chapter 13: To Which Tooth Has A Word

Aster was working again in the Warren, trying to keep a solid pace going as his phone buzzed every ten minutes with Jack replying to a text—a volley of a conversation that had started soon as Aster woke up that morning when he'd seen a text that had arrived from Jack at 5am, but Aster hadn't woken up till 9 this morning. He had replied first thing this morning when he'd noticed the text and then set away to continuing his chocolate making. He had also noticed that since the last time he had seen Jack it had been yet another two days that had ticked by and marking it as yet another Friday. Time was flying too quickly, even if Aster's pace _was _going so well that he was slowly pushing ahead of his workload. Aster sucked in a sharp breath with that realization and paused in his work.

It had been a week now. A week where he was officially Jack's boyfriend and he had to admit he was impressed that he hadn't seen a whisper of it across any of the magazines, newspapers or even online when he had used the computer at work to search for it. Apparently Jack hadn't spoken a word to anyone about them being in a relationship. He was both relieved with that and at the same time extremely worried. He _liked _it because it ensured him that Jack wanted to keep parts of his personal life from the immediate news—and Aster was a realist in that regard. _Someone _was bound to find out about them, it was just a matter of how long did they keep it hush-hush till they both decided it was a good time to finally state their relationship status publicly.

On the flip side of that Aster was worried that Jack might've been _ashamed _by him. Chalking it up to Jack being unable to figure out what he was…or worse yet he didn't want to be spotted with Antarctic Blizzard's unnamed, unknown, distant friend. He frowned, beginning to really hate how bi-polar his feelings towards the actions surrounding anything Jack related flipped as fast as they came. He shook his head, crouching down and giving the back of his left ear a good scratching that had him giving a quick shiver after when he stood back up on his haunches to continue the last batch of chocolates—and yes it _was _the last batch of chocolates. Seven billion, done in the course of six days…with a quick cloning spell on Easter morning that would make the three different variations of chocolate shapes multiply accordingly for each country's population.

Magic was a _hell _of a thing.

The scratch to his left ear had also seemed to help relieve his worries surrounding Jack along with the realization that his schedule had opened up quite a bit now, the usually tedious process of making batch after batch of chocolates and then having to wait for them to cool in their molds, add the decorative frosting to them and _then _wait for that to cool and harden as well had been cut into a quarter of the work it used to be—and Jack's ability to freeze each chocolate just right had given Aster a bump to the amount of time he spent idly waiting by as everything set. Aster sucked in a breath though, completely amazed with Jack's hard work but yet hoping that there _had _to be a reason Jack hadn't said anything about them yet and he hoped it had everything to do with Jack wanting to ask him about it first _before_ he went and hinted to the world that he was in a relationship.

He stepped from the pot he was making the last bit of chocolate in to gaze towards the ninety nine rows of trays and smiled. Each chocolate had been painted with great care by both him and Jack over the past two nights till about two, three in the morning and whenever Jack had happened to drop by throughout the day. He had, as they began their miniature dates in his Warren, found out that Jack's days were a mixture of early days and late nights. Some of his days started at five, others didn't start until eight at night. Aster was never quite sure of Jack's actual schedule, but he chalked it up to being part of a band—that and he was a rather free spirit thanks to his Frost Sprite habits. He was the primary go to individual in the band because he was front man for Tooth's band, which meant he did a series of talk shows, radio appearances, wrote some of the songs, laid out some of the basics to new songs that they hadn't recorded yet and to top it all off he had dance lessons, vocal sessions and _sometimes_ he made it to the gym to do a little bit of cardio—which would neither help or hamper his frame if he missed it. He was stuck at eighteen, the age he had died, and nothing was going to change that fact. This was also why Jack could eat an elephant and not gain a pound.

Aster turned away from the trays and poured the last three moldings, his ears swiveling as he felt something poke at his Warren's entrance. His ears shot up on the crown of his head and he turned off the stove, shooting from the burrow and grabbing up his bandolier in the process that held his boomerangs and rows of exploding eggs along with his bracers being tugged on as he rushed through his tunnels. _Nobody _poked at his entrance if he knew them, which was why he was bringing his weapons—in case he had to defend his realm.

As he sprinted through the tunnels he had thought about what Jack had done the second he'd seen his boomerangs. Jack had a _lot _of fun with them when he'd seen them, had nearly caused half of Tooth's flowers to be clipped early as he tossed one of them about in an attempt to figure out how to make it return. It was both hilarious to watch and downright aggravating as the boomerang swung closer and closer to the important sections of Aster's Warren.

Aster opened up a hole in the ground, stuck his ears through it and heard humming. He bounded from the bottom of his tunnel and shook himself off as he straightened and faced Tooth.

"Toothie, how ya doing today?" He asked immediately relaxing but wondering why she hadn't called him, tilting his head and noticing that she was dressed exceptionally well. "What're ya dressed up fer?"

Tooth sighed; looking especially flustered no matter _how _good she looked when it came to her hair and clothing. "Oh you know, just the usual business. I'm arguing with our studio producer about the next music video. He says we need to talk Atlas into one last take because he was the one who wrote and sang it at the last concert, but I keep telling him there's no _way_ we're getting him back—that and Jack could do it _so _much better. Then there's the problems with the caterer for the wedding, North's best man having to step aside from the roll due to his wife's declining health and now to top it all off we've got paparazzi following us _everywhere_ as we head from location to location either doing sets, photo shoots or talk shows."

"Just a little overwhelmin'?" He asked, feeling sympathy for her.

"Just a bit." Tooth's small hand went to her forehead but she shook off whatever was bothering her as she smiled towards Aster. "You're looking better. You've got some sparkle back to your eyes."

Aster gave her a quick grin, tapping his hind paw on the ground and opening a tunnel. "Need ta see yer flowers?"

Tooth's head bobbed in a 'yes'. Aster beckoned for her wrist, imbuing a temporary orange gem from his wrist guard he'd grabbed on his way towards his bandolier and set the gem onto her wrist, leading her to the section her flowers sat in. He walked her through the fields, asking her various questions about their color, sizes and if she wanted him to change anything before he let them be till a day before the wedding. Tooth asked for a few minor changes, things that Aster could easily fix within a night's time—for instance she wanted the Orchids a little bigger than they currently were.

"Ah can just push a little extra into 'em and they'll be right as rain fer yer big day." Aster told her with a nod as he took note of it on the book she had handed him. "Ah'll do it tonight before Ah give mah googies one last check over."

Tooth nodded, hovering next to him with a constant hum as he walked her to his burrow. She finally settled onto the ground and stepped into his home, her mouth dropping open in awe as she spotted how much work he and Jack had already done.

"So _that's_ why Jack's been exhausted!" She stated.

Aster's form stiffened and he turned so quickly he almost lost his footing, having removed the bandolier from his chest and just barely getting it hung on the wall. "What now?"

"You didn't know?" Tooth asked, blinking wide eyes towards him. "Jack's been exhausted lately! Now I see why! You keep making him do your work!"

"He's volunteering!" Aster shot back, jabbing a furry and clawed digit towards Tooth like he would an index finger. "And the dill hasn't been doing _all _the work nor has he said a _thing_ about being exhausted." Aster immediately felt bad, gripping his ears and tugging them nervously. "How…how did Ah miss it?"

"He's really good at hiding things, Bunny." Tooth told him, gently placing a hand on his shoulder and giving it a reassuring rub. "He doesn't want to skip out on seeing you either because he doesn't see you enough as it is. Normally, before he met you, he was usually asleep by eleven at night and he rarely used his frost powers aside from when he had work to do, but now since he's met you and you two have started dating he's been staying up until two or three in the morning and having to wake up at five. Then he's drained even when he wakes up…is he using his frost powers?"

Aster nodded. "He's been usin' 'em ta help solidify the chocolates."

"That explains how drained he's been lately as well." Tooth sucked in a sharp breath and rubbed her temple.

"Why…why didn't he tell me?" Aster asked, releasing an ear as it perked up and heard the phone vibrate on his counter. He sighed, walking over to it and seeing it was Jack. "How can Ah fix this? How can Ah make it so Jack doesn't skip sleep ta see me or use his bloody powers? Our schedules don't exactly match and he's fairly insistent about helpin' with Easter."

Tooth smiled sadly and shook her head. "I don't have the answer to that Bunny. You two will just have to figure it out. If you want I can give you his tentative schedule for tomorrow and maybe you two could pick blocks of time to be together—like when Jack's in our studio writing songs or playing through them. You two could maybe be together during that."

Aster sighed. "But Ah've got Easter just 'round the corner practically. Ah'm nearing on a month away and Ah need ta start painting mah googies."

"Well why don't you invite him over for that?" Tooth asked. "I know you can talk and paint at the same time, you've done it hundreds of times with us before and Jack _does _have days where I make him take a day off."

Aster glanced down at his paws, clenching and unclenching them. "Ah don't know if Ah can paint right without this form. Ah've got all the movements already engrained into this one."

"Bunny you're not a robot." Tooth chastised with a smirk. "You can paint in _any _form, but maybe it's time to show Jack this one?"

Aster thought about shifting and testing that theory out before he remembered that Tooth, along with the others, tended to shun nudity—at least in his Hareman shape where everything was _exposed_. In _this_ form he had fur covering his entire being, not to mention his privates were hidden much like a rabbit's were—inside a sheath, which was located around the same area as theirs were, maybe five inches higher. He frowned, nodding and pressing his ears back against his head before he saw Tooth walk over to his fridge to get something to drink. She paused in her movements when she narrowed her gaze on a card and then she frowned, turning that narrowed gaze to Aster as she plucked none other than Angelique's card from the fridge.

"_What_ is this?" She pressed, waving it in the air. "Also _why_ does it have five feminine names on it _with _their phone numbers?"

Aster gulped, hunching down in shame as he realized he had forgotten to take that down. He'd been so distracted with Jack and Easter that he'd shirked a lot of things around his burrow—one of which had been tearing apart _that_ bloody index card. He looked meekly up at Tooth.

"It…ahhhh…it was an invitation ta spend Mating Season with the sheila Ah met at the Groundhog Festival." He watched Tooth's face turn a bright red—from embarrassment or anger he wasn't sure—and then he snapped a paw out quickly, snatching it from her hand and tossing it onto the counter top—discarding it on the pile of previously handed to him cards from Haremen. "It was only on the fridge because Ah was still debatin' what Ah was going ta do with Jack. Ah just forgot ta take it down is all."

"You are _so _lucky Jack didn't see it." Tooth told him with a stern tone. "And don't you even _think_ about calling them, Aster!"

He nodded. "Ah wasn't going ta, Ah swear. Ah'd much rather risk Sandy's sand than sleep with _that _lot."

Tooth narrowed her gaze towards him before she sucked in a breath and sighed. "I guess I had better go back."

"Toothie?" Aster asked, stepping after her and following her as she headed for the exit. "Do ya happen ta know Jack's schedule tomorrow? Maybe Ah could drop by when he wakes up and spend the day with 'im? He joined me as Ah looked at real estate, Ah figure Ah might as well join him fer somethin' like that."

Tooth smiled lightly down at him from her hovering in the air, both of them exiting the Warren and her leaning forward and giving him her wrist so he could extract the gem from it. "He'll be awake at seven tomorrow and the first step of his day starts at nine with a photo shoot for some clothing company he's endorsing. That goes until about two in the afternoon where he gets a short two hour break before it's off to dance lessons at four that lasts till six."

Aster sighed. _None_ of those things sounded like something he could tag along with Jack on—except maybe that two hour block of time he got for a break. But then again he needed to be at work by noon tomorrow since they opened early on Saturdays. He also didn't, should he have had the day off, want to take Jack's break away from him either. He shook his head. This was impossible with him needing to be at work by noon on the weekends along with Easter right around the corner and taking up most of his free time for preparations.

"Buggar, guess it'll have ta wait. We couldn't have started this at a worse time." Aster admitted, clenching the gem in his left paw. "Ah'll tell the Frostbite ta stop skippin' sleep and ta stop using too much of his magic though. Ah _wish_ he'd have told me Ah was causin' that…and here Ah thought he was doin' it because it was the only time he had off like me, and he acted just fine afterwards ta boot."

Tooth nodded sagely towards him. "I'll try to tell him that you two are both a bit busy right now and not to worry over you. Maybe if he hears it from North and I, assurances that you'll be free as soon as Easter passes, then maybe I can try talking some sense into him and get him to relax when it comes to spending time together. You're both invested in this, I don't doubt this, but I think you two are both putting unnecessary strain on one another."

Aster nodded. "Ah hope that maybe hearin' it from ya and North will help. As it stands, though, the Frostbite sure did help get me ahead. Ah don't think Ah've ever been this far ahead this early for Easter."

Tooth grinned before she turned. Aster watched as Tooth flew off at her quick speed and then he ducked back into his Warren, placing the gem back on his bracer when he stepped into the burrow as he pried it off and set both of them next to his bandolier. He picked up his phone that vibrated in a reminder and looked at the screen to see that it was—surprise, surprise—Jack again. He was asking if he could drop by again tonight to help with Easter.

Aster chewed on his lower lip, turning and gazing towards the rows of finished chocolates and glanced back at his phone, taking into account what Tooth had just told him. Jack needed sleep and to avoid using his Frost magic, Aster was ahead of schedule and was _used_ to skipping sleep during these pressing months unlike Jack. He turned, gathering ingredients for a new chocolate he was originally going to have North test until Jack had came into his life and caused him to attempt a whole new recipe just for him. He started a small pot as he finished the larger one and readied the mixture while he returned Jack's text with something simple:

_Remember that Mexican Pizza you mentioned? How about that tonight at Tooth's and I'll bring over some chocolate for you to taste test for me?_

He turned away from his phone for but a _second_ before it vibrated on the counter again. His right ear swiveled that way and he turned, beginning to heat the pot with the first batch of ingredients. He flipped the phone over and grinned at Jack's response.

_Sounds good! How about soon as you get off work?_

Aster nodded, entered his acceptance of that time and turned back to his work. The chocolate would still be a little runny at that point, but it would work out for the better. He could think of nothing better than serving Jack a spoon full of _his_ homemade chocolate that was mixed especially with ingredients that reminded him of Jack. It had hints of vanilla and a light dusting of mint. He just barely finished mixing the batch before he shifted forms, changed for work and then stepped from the Warren with his shoes with his socks tucked into them in his arm.

He exited his tunnel near the perimeter of the steakhouse again and he tugged on his socks and shoes, stepping out into the parking lot and letting his ears sit perked atop the crown of his head for a few more fleeting moments before he stepped through the entrance and pressed them back against his head again. He stepped through the area to the waiter's section and nodded towards Pudge as he knelt down and nabbed his apron from below. He tugged it on, tying the two strings at least once around his waist before knotting it. From there he once again stepped out to face work.

As he milled about at work he felt his phone vibrating practically every ten minutes and it took all of his strength not to pick it up and look at Jack's text messages—and he _knew_ they were all from Jack. Unfortunately he also once again ran into Angelique and her Community. Luckily this time Pudge had wizened up to their intent and instead placed them at the section farthest from Aster. He continued his work, keeping to himself and stepping up to his table that had just finished. He placed a hot fudge brownie, that was still warm, with vanilla ice cream on top in front of the woman whose birthday it was and then dropped off the check as well, giving her a warm smile and heading to another table.

However in his path to his next table was when he ran into trouble. One of Angelique's herd halted in front of him—the one with fawn hair that was cut in a pixie cut, placing a firm hand on his chest and halting his movement. He frowned, stepping back and then crossing his arms as he set a glare at her.

"Ah don't suggest ya touch me again, sheila." He told her sharply.

"Well," The woman suggested, stepping forward and making him take steps back. If she were a bloke he'd have already decked her as she kept making him take steps backwards in order to avoid her in his personal space, "first off my name isn't Sheila, secondly I happen to know that you haven't been calling _any _of us, nor have you told us an answer."

"It's a no." Aster stated simply, watching as her eyes widened in disbelief. "It's definitely a no. Now, shove on."

Aster stepped around her, then by her unmoving form. He adjusted his tie, clearing his throat and shivering off the general dislike of those particular Harewomen. Hog stood at the waiting section, having heard his shiver as he vocalized it as well and snorting in disgust.

"Try waiting on them. They're kind of snobbish and rude." Hog stated with a frown. "I've never seen a Community act like _them_ before."

"That's because they're very disturbed individuals." Aster supplied, nudging Hog in the side as he grinned towards him, having fun at the expense of those Harewomen. "Ah mean really, who asks ta use ya as a living sex toy?"

"They do, apparently." Hog admitted, then as he left said, "I'm assuming you're hiding again in close to a month?"

Hog walked away, leaving Aster to mull that thought over. Was he going to spend his season alone? He swallowed nervously with that thought. He _still_ wasn't sure about Jack. He couldn't bare the idea that Jack was skipping sleep and inadvertently hurting himself by overusing his magic because he wanted to be around him and help—he didn't think he could _stomach_ hurting Jack as he had North. He felt his brows knit together on his forehead as he began to fill glasses with ice and then the beverages for the table he had just came from before the female had got in his way.

He sucked in a sharp breath, his mood deflating as he realized he couldn't do that to Jack—the memories from his brief time with North making him sick. It was just best to not even mention his season to Jack, he'd rather him be in the dark about it and if he could completely avoid telling Jack about it it'd be all the better. However when he realized this he also noticed that he'd have to come up with a _real_ nifty lie, or _very_ believable explanation, to explain why he was going to go missing for nearly a month throughout their relationship if it survived past Easter.

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Lulling chapter is boring! But guess what's next? Thaz right Date Night! But ya might have to wait till tomorrow to read it because I haven't wrote past date night yet and that chapter still needs 1 last read through ^_^


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Rise of the Guardians, yadda, yadda, yadda...

To **Shanatic**: Well you'll take a slap from Dr. King Shultz apparently...

To **Queenofcrack97**: Ehhhehehehehe totally not spoiling anything.

To **kcr**: I do freak about mistakes XD I shoulda caught them on the 3rd reviewing, but meh I fix them when I see them ^_^

To **Cat871**: I haven't really flushed Hog's character out in this story :( He's just kinda there as an outside buddy at the moment. I haven't decided if I'm going to make him do anything more or not yet. As for you ramble: look up German Peasants' War. Now THAT was a hell of a thing and it's right up that 'revolution' alley even though it 'failed'. Has to do with Martin Luther (guy who nailed notes to the doors) and it was just absolutely astonishing to read about. I consider it somewhat successful because they did manage a _few_ changes and you can kinda trace that _all_ the way to the establishment of Marxism...Please don't get me started on that it's literally the 1 paper from Uni I got literally 100% on XD Also anyone reading these is going to look at our messages and say: "What a bunch of _nerds_" hahaha.

To **Tigermike83**: Dat he does!

Finally to **yey**: Ehhhhhehehehehe not spoiling it because I'm actually writing that section now ;D

**A/N**: Be on the lookout for a new story coming soon from me. Secondly, editor has not-in any way shape or form-even glanced at Manny's (I pitched a fit at her mostly for not informing me of anything and just _vanishing_ for literally weeks on end and making me spend a week hunting her down...what it's fuckin' irritating!). I should add so I don't sound like a complete ass: I've asked her 3 times now to _please_ keep me informed every 2-3 days with what's up so I could give you guys estimates, so she had worn out her last warning from me last night (she'll be in for a yellin' after this and I can _yell_). Thirdly, **Shanatic** literally cheered me on for my newer story and she got sneak peeks of it already...sorry guys haha (I am still so hesitant to release it).

ANYWAYS IT'S DATE NIGHT BITCHES!

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Chapter 14: Date Night

Aster sucked in a sharp breath and he lifted a hand to knock on the ajar sliding glass door that opened into the backyard he'd just tunneled in through. The knocking echoed out and then his ears perked forward and he heard the sure pattering of bare feet on tile and soon enough Jack's form appeared in the archway that led to the kitchen. Jack grinned, stepping forward and gripping Aster's forearm as he tugged him into the dining room that the sliding glass door sat by.

"Come in! Geez you didn't have to knock you could've just walked in. You're like family to Tooth and you _are_ my boyfriend now." Jack stated with a smirk, his blue eyes going to the chocolate that Aster held in a small bowl. "Is that the chocolate?"

Aster nodded, shrugging and frowning. "Sorry about it not being hardened like the others. Ah sorta made it just this afternoon." His eyes widened as Jack leaned over it and took an inhale. He watched Jack's eyes flutter and a lazy smile cross his lips. "Smells good, doesn't it?"

Jack hummed his agreement and nodded. "That it does. Come on, let's get a spoon. We can do dessert first."

"Ah made it fer _ya _ta test Jack, Ah can't eat chocolate, remember?" He reminded Jack. "Ah'll just have ta eat whatever yer concoction called a Mexican Pizza is."

Jack sent a quick smirk over his shoulder and led Aster into the kitchen, halting at the oven and checking the contents. He then closed it and turned up the timer for a few more minutes before he turned on his heel and went forward to the left of the sink. The third drawer from there he pulled out a spoon and then stepped over to Aster who held out the bowl. He crossed his arms and leaned back against the marble countertop of the large kitchen that had a _lot_ of space to it. Normally he wasn't a fan of large kitchens, but all he could think about as he gazed at Tooth's was how he could up the amount of chocolates he made in a day if he had a kitchen this size.

That and everything looked so new and clean. The marble countertops were exceptionally well made from what he could tell and they contrasted the stained colored wood of the cabinets and counters. The appliances looked as if the wrapping had just been taken off of them earlier that day while the sink itself was nothing more than a golden—coppery—bowl with one of those nifty hosed sinks. Aster's gaze went upwards and he saw the hanging pot holder that was cast iron if he had to guess and held a wide arrangement of pots, pans and skillets—each of them having about two separate types. Not to mention that the fluorescent lighting managed to flush the kitchen's interior in a soothing hue that made the entire thing feel welcoming. Movement brought Aster's eyes back to Jack.

His gaze darted to Jack and he looked him over. His small frame was wearing a simple plain cotton shirt and on his legs were a pair of extremely comfortable looking open bottomed sweatpants in a simple gray color. They looked bigger than they needed to be, which told him Jack liked wearing looser clothes around the house compared to the normally tight fitting ensembles he tended to wear outside of it. However Aster reached a hand out and cupped Jack's jaw, noticing the dark circles under his eyes and wondering how he'd missed those.

Then those eyes widened and Jack sat the bowl down after he'd barely scooped a small bit of chocolate onto the spoon and turned from Aster. "Oh, let me go get my list!"

"Yer…yer what now?" Aster asked as Jack shot off from the kitchen, leaving Aster standing there dumbfounded as to what had just happened as the cold wind that had just carried Jack from the kitchen died. Aster felt that chilled breeze again and Jack flitted right back in with a piece of paper, pen and a determined look to his features. "Oh!"

Jack nodded his head. "Yea! I went scouring through the Government's internet database and picked a _large_ number of names that we're going to go through."

Aster covered his mouth with his hand and let out a sheepish smile accompanied by a small laugh. "Ya really _are_ persistent, ya know that?"

Jack huffed. "Well you won't tell me so I have to play frickin' Sherlock Holmes and figure it out myself!" Jack then unfolded the paper and clicked the end of the pen, tapping the ink side to his tongue and raising a brow towards Aster in a surprisingly seductive way. "Alp."

Aster immediately barked out a sharp laugh. "Ya think Ah'm a _demon_?!"

Jack chuckled, leaning forward and winking. "Well you're sure devilish in your looks."

Aster grinned, resisting the urge to reach forward and show him just how devilish he could be in _other_ ways than his looks. He instead cleared his throat and replied with, "First of all, mate, Ah'm not German. Secondly, just because mah looks makes yer heart a-flutter at night doesn't make me a demon."

Jack glanced up at him, scratching that off the list and then clearing his throat and starting through with the next name of his list. "Al-mi'raj?"

Aster whistled. "That's a bit closer, but Ah'm still lackin' a horn mate. Not ta mention Ah'm not Islamic either."

"Damnit." Jack muttered, crossing off that name on the list and following through in another alphabetical format as he waited for the oven to bake his Mexican pizza. It beeped, interrupting them when they neared the P's and Jack checked it, hitting more buttons and then turning back to Aster. "Pamola?"

"Weather spirit, that's more along the lines of Pudge—but he's Polynesian." Aster stated, waving his hand in the air. "Yer in the right letters now at least."

Jack's eyes widened in delight and then he ticked off one last name. "Pandi?"

Aster shook his head, chuckling and exposing his digits to Jack. "Do Ah _look_ like Ah have eight fingers and toes ta ya? Not ta mention mah hair is more of a blueish-gray, not white."

Jack frowned towards him, zapping a chill of frost magic towards him that made him yelp and glare. "Well you've got the giant ears! How do you even know what these things are off the top of your head? I had to read through every description that went with these names!"

Aster wiped the cold icy frosting from his shirt and frowned towards Jack. He once again was drawn to Jack's eyes and noticed how much that little burst of magic made him look a million times worse for wear. Aster sighed, looking at the sleep deprivation that was evident by the bags under Jack's eyes and watching as he slowly moved back to the chocolate, looking as if every movement hurt.

"Jack, Ah'm old—old enough to say Ah shaped the Earth." Aster watched Jack freeze briefly before he lifted a hand.

"Hold on, hold on. You mean to tell me _you're_ older than literally the dirt itself?" Jack asked, astonishment making his entire face shift to surprise. Aster remained silent, watching as Jack blinked in disbelief then he finally saw acceptance sink into Jack's face. "Geez you _are_ old!"

A few more minutes went by and Jack shuffled about the kitchen doing a few small tidbits like tossing away trash from the ingredient packages or cleaning a spare dish or two and tucking it away in the dish washer. However Aster felt awful as he watched Jack's stiff movements and he couldn't help the pang of worry.

"Ya look sleepy and physically exhausted, mate." He told him softly.

Jack just gave him his carefree grin and shrugged. "Life of a rock star, you're either sleep deprived or running off energy drinks or drugs."

Aster smiled sadly, nodding and acknowledging the truth to that statement. He realized in that moment that he and Jack _both_ had underlying issues when it came to communication with one another. He didn't want to tell Jack what he was or _what _was going to happen at the end of Easter to him and Jack didn't want to tell Aster that helping him with Easter was beginning to wear him down. Honestly Aster felt like a bit of a heel for not taking into account how exhausting Easter had been when he first started, but that had been so long ago it had literally fallen into the black hole of time. He hadn't thought Jack would tire from the workload of Easter and Aster felt awful for not thinking about it. He watched as Jack scooped up a small edge of the chocolate and tentatively stuck a tongue out to lick the edge of the spoon that was covered in the chocolate. Aster's eyes had been glued to that movement, all brain functions halting briefly, before he shook his head and decided he needed to outright bring up the subject Tooth had told him about.

"Mate, Ah remember what ya looked like before ya started datin' me and ya _didn't_ have those bags under yer eyes." Aster told him, watching as Jack's eyes closed in ecstasy briefly as he sampled the chocolate before he opened them and glared towards Aster.

"I told you, I'm fine!" He pressed, trying to keep the exhaustion from his tone and failing.

"How much sleep have ya been getting' at night? How much energy do ya have when ya wake in the mornin'?" He asked, continuing to press the issue and hoping Jack broke soon.

"Enough." Jack scooped up another spoonful with a flippant shrug.

Aster snapped his hand out, snatching the spoon and the chocolate away from Jack and making him whimper in the process. He narrowed his eyes on Jack.

"No more till ya tell me the truth." He stated with a cutting edge to his voice.

Jack huffed, crossing his arms and glaring towards Aster in a way similar to a challenge. The oven beeped and Jack turned from Aster grumbling the entire time as he opened it and gave the contents a quick check over before popping it back in and then turning back to Aster.

"I'm not lying to you. I'm getting plenty of sleep at night and I feel _fine_. Full of energy and with a skip to my step every morning." Jack stated, his gaze never once wavering from Aster's. Then Jack placed his hands on his hips, lifting one to motion between them. "What about you and your eating habit, hm? Mr. 'I keep forgetting to eat'."

"Yea, but Ah was completely honest with ya mate." Aster shot back, frowning at how hypocritical that statement was. He certainly _wasn't_ being honest with Jack…in fact he was hiding a _lot_ from him—but that argument was for another time. "Ah wanted ya ta know Ah'd been forgettin' ta eat so ya wouldn't worry over me. However _ya_ aren't being honest with me and those bags under yer eyes are tellin' me all Ah need ta know."

Jack frowned, throwing his hands up in the air in defeat. "Fine. I've _maybe_ been sleeping for three hours a night and I _may_ be feeling a little drained."

Aster growled, immediately feeling worry grip him. "Are ya _insane_?!" He stabbed the spoon into the bowl of chocolate and jabbed a finger into Jack's chest, his temper flaring. "That means ya've been going off of _less_ than nine hours of sleep over the course of seventy two hours! That isn't enough sleep ta even replenish yer magic preserves!"

"Yea well I hear you do that _all the time _before Easter morning." Jack shot back with a heated tone, getting into Aster's face as he did the same to Jack, narrowing his eyes at him as well. "Don't lecture me on my habits."

"Ah bloody _will_ lecture ya on yer habits, especially when they're obviously affectin' ya!" Aster returned before he deflated with guilt and stepped back. He sucked in a sharp breath, giving Jack doleful and guilt ridden eyes as he then said, "Especially if Ah'm the cause of 'em."

Jack sighed and ran his hand through his hair, mussing it. "You aren't the cause of them." Jack stepped forward and wrapped his arms around Aster's waist, laying his head on his chest. "Well…you _were _the cause of a few of those nights during that week where you were thinking about us." Jack lifted his head and smiled lightly towards him. "But now it's purely me. It's _my_ decision if I spend time with you or not past my bedtime and it's _my _decision how much power I use to help you. I _want _to be useful, Aster."

Aster couldn't help but laugh. "Bedtime? Ya happen ta need yer footie pajamas fer a good night's sleep? Or do ya just wake yerself up when ya realized ya wet the bed?"

Jack frowned at him, poking him in the chest. "Yuck it up, _Aster_, I'm sure I'll find something to pester you about soon enough in this relationship."

"Mmmhmm." Aster replied, trying not to chuckle and still _loving_ the way his name sounded in Jack's deep, soothing, voice. "Oh Ah have _no _doubt the second Ah do something even the might bit odd ya'll be on it like a vulture ta a corpse."

Jack groaned when the oven beeped and interrupted them, again, and Aster noticed how Jack seemed unwilling to let go of him as he lazily dropped his arms and dragged his feet as he walked over to the oven to check the contents once more before he reached for the hot pads and put them on, pulling out the glass pan and showing Aster the contents. To Aster it looked like a mess—literally like everything had been thrown either in between the two opposing tortillas or tossed on top in a discarded hope to add more flavor to the dish. Aster then winced as Jack shouted:

"Dinner's up everyone!" Jack placed the pan onto a cooling rack by the sink but grabbed out a knife and set away to cutting slices out for everyone.

"Hey Sandy." Aster nodded when he saw Sandy who yawned and waved. As his friends walked into the kitchen to get their plates he nodded to each of them and said: "North. Tooth. Pitch."

Each of them gave him a nod and they sat around the dinner table, Aster's chocolate sitting on the counter temporarily forgotten as they enjoyed the meal Jack had made—and it was surprisingly delicious. He was surprised to know that Jack _could_ actually cook. His eyes went over to him and he felt himself become attracted to Jack yet again with that realization. Fun, carefree, picky in just the right ways and he could _cook_. Aster stood when Jack began to collect the dishes with a yawn.

"Here, let me do 'em mate." Aster grabbed the dishes from Jack and nodded to their friends when they announced they were going to their rooms with varying differences in how they delivered it. Aster set away to rinsing the plates off and nodded towards the bowl of chocolate. "What's the verdict?"

"Hm?" Jack asked after yawning yet again. "Oh! It's really good. Can I have more?"

Aster nodded, stacking the cleaned plates into the dishwasher and starting it after adding in soap. He turned, watching as Jack's pink tongue licked out along the spoon again. He tore his gaze from that show and clamped a _heavy_, unmoving, lid onto the rush of images that came to his head—choosing to not even _acknowledge_ what they were about. He cleared his throat and chanced another glance over at Jack, letting out a sharp whine when Jack did that damn licking again—but this time Jack's eyes were locked to him and he _knew _Jack had done that seductive show on purpose.

_That bloody show pony_. Aster thought, jerking forward quickly and halting Jack's hand when he had scooped up another spoonful of the chocolate. He initially wanted to stop Jack from doing that show again, but he'd realized his mistake as his gaze went from his hand, which clasped Jack's tightly around the spoon, to Jack's eyes. They both stared at each other intently, both keeping a firm grip on the spoon that Jack had been using in a _sinful_ way and with that memory Aster felt his lecherous eyes dart down to Jack's lips when he saw that _damn_ tongue peek from between them as Jack licked them teasingly.

They stood there, frozen for a good twenty seconds—neither moving—before Aster broke with a simple thought: _Ta hell with it_.

Aster leaned forward and pressed their lips together, the spoon with chocolate on it clattering to the tile of the kitchen as both Aster and Jack's hands went to separate locations on each other's bodies. Aster's hand that had been holding the spoon with Jack's had moved to Jack's waist as his opposite arm immediately looped under Jack's other arm to the base of his neck where his hand gripped tightly—essentially holding him in place. Jack's hand that had been on the spoon snaked between them and took a firm grip on Aster's shoulder while his right arm that had Aster's arm under it reached up and gripped the back of Aster's head in return, running his blunt nails across the base of Aster's hairline.

Aster couldn't stop the sharp expelling of air from his nose that accompanied a shiver as he moved his lips against Jack's, relishing in the feel of them and surprised to know that they were just a little chapped—which he chalked up to the chilled winter air he encased himself in. He snuck his tongue out, running it along Jack's lips as he pleaded with Jack to give him entrance. Jack luckily obliged.

Aster moaned as he deepened the kiss, forcing Jack to take two steps backwards and grunting with him when they hit the pantry door in the kitchen—neither of them breaking from each other and instead grunting from the impact into each other's mouths. Aster felt Jack's smile break across his lips briefly before both of them became enthralled with their first kiss—which became a heady make out session where _each_ of them set away to exploring the other's mouth before they both jumped when a beep sounded out and stepped away from each other stiffly. Aster took in Jack's blushing form, his cheeks having a much more purplish hue to them than an actual pink, and _both_ of them panting. The accursed oven—the current _bane _of Aster's existence, one that may have even beat out his current job at the steakhouse—beeped again.

Jack huffed, muttering a, "Yea, yea, I get it you need to be turned off."

Aster smirked, kneeling down and picking up the spoon from the flooring and giving it a quick rinse off with hot water and soap before he dried it with a hand towel and stepped over to the bowl of chocolate. He grinned, picking it up and urging Jack from the kitchen when all was said and done. He managed to coax Jack to his bedroom and eased him onto the bed, sitting at the edge of it and spoon feeding Jack the rest of the chocolate as he lay in bed.

"Do ya want me ta make this a nightly routine fer awhile?" Aster asked, elated from their kiss and took an obscure amount of pleasure in caring for Jack—even if he _was_ spoon feeding him chocolate. "Ah can get off work and drop by fer a coupla hours ta be with ya till ya fall asleep."

"But what about—"

"It's fine, Jack." Aster leaned forward and grazed his lips against Jack's again before he sat back, sated from having completed an urge that had been niggling at him since he had gotten Jack into bed. "Ah'm way ahead now thanks ta ya and Ah can always pack up some of mah googies and bring 'em here fer when Ah need ta start painting next week."

"Do I get to help?" Jack asked, his eyes drooping before he yawned and flattened out his pillow to lay his head on it. He opened his mouth for the last bit of Aster's chocolate as he scraped it from the edges and he moaned at its taste yet again, swallowing it down after giving it a few chews. "Why do you call them 'googies'?"

Aster snorted. "Believe it or not the term 'googie' means ta get 'obliterated'—fucked up in some way or another. Mah googies, fer instance cause kids ta get excited or drunk off sugar—the kid equivalent of getting 'fucked up'."

Aster watched as a smirk crossed Jack's lips as he let out another yawn. Aster reached out a hand and tugged up the blanket to Jack's chin where he watched as Jack nuzzled into the pillow and tugged the blanket in close. It was one of the most _adorable_ things Aster had ever been privy too.

"This is a rouse to get me to bed, isn't it?" Jack slurred out as his eyes began to drift closed.

"Ya betcha'." Aster whispered. "Ya need yer sleep, mate. Ya need it ta function and ta replenish yer power."

"Lay in bed with me till I fall—yaaahhh—asleep?" Jack asked, a yawn marring his sentence while a lazy hand drifted out from under the blankets to paw fruitlessly at Aster's forearm in an attempt to pull him onto the bed.

"Sure." Aster told him, crawling across him and then tugging his small frame into him—making sure to stay above the covers. "Night Jacky. Get some sleep."

"Mmmhmm." Jack trailed off, cuddling into Aster's front.

Aster laid there in bed next to Jack and nuzzled his nose against his temple, taking his time and letting his eyes take in and memorize _everything_ about him. Hell he even noticed that Jack's cheeks had barely visible freckles adorning his nose and cheeks. Finally Aster glanced up at the bedside clock and saw that it was midnight. He sighed, slowly crawling from the bed and stepping around it to face Jack's front once more. He smirked, wondering how pist Tooth was going to be as he realized Jack hadn't brushed his teeth before bed. He shrugged it off, leaning forward and giving Jack's lips a light kiss once more before he stepped to his window and crawled out of it, jumping from the roof and landing on the grass below without so much as a problem.

He turned his head back to Jack's window as he pried a shoe from his foot, followed by the sock and then tapped his foot on the ground to open a tunnel. He stayed there for a moment longer before he sidestepped into the tunnel and reached his Warren where he dug out his enchanted paint brushes when he realized some of his googies were walking about—just in time. It was best to start painting them as soon as possible, made for the last minute rushes to go by smoother—but he still needed to mix up the dye rivers before he did anything more.

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Why do these date Chapters always turn out so farkin' long?! Damnit, oh well you guys _probably_ don't mind haha. So, yey or nay?


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Rise of the Guardians, yadda, yadda, yadda...

**A/N**: Sorry about not updating yesterday folks, ran into trouble so I just dropped this story for the day and watched Breaking Bad all day (I'm on Season 4 now...this show is phenomenal). Next thing I'll address: I know ya'll want Jack and Bunny to doink, I get it, but I plead for patience. There's still a few things I want to cover before they do bump uglies (I love that phrase). So I'll calm yo' tits by tellin' ya it's coming (haha, see what I did there?) soon but I want to sort out a few things first before I even dip my toe into that particular hole...that and it'll take me probably 4 days to write that chapter out anyways. I'm not so good at the smut stuff (It's why I'm practicing it) and so just enjoy this story for a little longer, 2-3 Chapters I'm thinking, before they do the deed :)

For anyone asking about **Manny's Moonlight**: I have no idea if editor has even looked at it since I last chewed her ass out. She will either message me today about it or I will have to track her ass down and tattoo a reminder on her forehead.

Anyways! Thanks **Shanatic** for giving me an insightful reminder and essentially calming my mind enough to allow it to think properly again. Also because holy damn last Chapter had a lot of reviews the responses are at the bottom! Mentioning this as well: I've seen mentions of enchanted paintbrushes that put the color that you're thinking of on the end, totally using it. Not my idea, but I like it and I also added my own little twist to it as well.

Sidenote: Quavers are delicious. Why does the US not have them and Jaffa cakes? C'mon!

Enjoy.

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Chapter 15: Case Solved

It was now early March and date nights were turning out to be a good thing. Aster would head over to Tooth's mansion; spend two, sometimes three, hours with Jack before he would fall asleep. Jack was looking superbly better the past week and Aster had taken to carrying his googies over to the house where he'd sit with Jack and spend at least two full hours sitting with him and painting—sometimes Jack helping, it depended on what he was doing at the time. Aster was currently yawning, widely, while he absently painted yet another egg that had just emerged from the dye river in his Warren. He had plucked it from the ground and had immediately set away to painting it with his enchanted paint brushes that put whatever color one thought about onto the end of the brush.

It was a growing industry, apparently—one he _should_ have patented years ago. He stopped painting briefly and furrowed his brows in thought. There were times he wished he could see the future. If he'd have known _his_ enchanted paint brush, which he had dropped _years_ ago one hectic Easter, was going to become one of the most widely used toy for children he'd have patented the things years ago and made bank. The man who had stumbled upon it was currently _still_ funding his family from six feet under the ground.

Unfortunate. He shrugged his shoulders. He wallowed on things, but nothing quite to that extent. He didn't necessarily worry over money, the flower shop being an odd exception to that rule because he had everything he needed essentially. He had a home—his Warren and Ms. Hubbard's boarding house, he had food—grown in his Warren and he had Jack—who would be calling him in an hour…at least he thought. He leaned forward and gazed up at the bright sky above him through some of the leaves of the tree he was sitting under and estimated what time it was. It was nearing noon and Jack had said he'd call soon as he finished with his break so that Aster could be with him for a few hours before he flew across the country to do a live performance for a talk show. Aster leaned back, finishing up the egg and easily working around the twitching legs that looked as if every time the brush of the paintbrush caressed its shell it was tickled. He set the squirming egg on the ground and smirked when it gave a little shake off and then tottered off to cluster with the other finished eggs. He nabbed up another egg and started a new pattern—a landscape, the clashing deadness of Winter and blending it into the liveliness of Spring. He set that egg down as well and watched it totter off as well to the colored ones.

He flipped the paint brush in his paw as he waited for another unpainted egg to wander by. He smiled out of nowhere, thinking about that first time he'd kissed Jack and how much easier it was to reciprocate a kiss when he was in his Hareman shape compared to his Pooka form. In his Hareman shape he matched Jack's mouth perfectly, in his Pooka form—at least when he'd had to do it with North—it was awkward and had required a few mistakes before he had figured out just the right way of pursing the lips of his muzzle to rightly reciprocate their kisses. It had been awkward and filled with many mistakes before he had worked it out. He chuckled, _that_ was something Jack would eventually give him shit about, he just _knew_ it.

He nabbed up another egg that wandered by and his ear twitched and swiveled when he heard the relative silence of his Warren be disturbed by his phone chirping at him. He popped up from his lounging location under a tree and stepped briskly through his Warren to get to his phone just in time to catch it on the last ring.

"Hey Jacky." Aster said after pressing the speaker button again.

"Heya Aster." He grinned, hearing Jack's smirk through the phone. "Can you meet me down on Main street? I have something I want you to look at."

Aster's brows knit together. What was Jack up too?

"Sure Frostbite. Where am Ah tunneling too?" He asked finishing up the egg and turning it in his paw. This one held a series of strangely shaped lines, sporadic dots and curved markings.

"The mall's close enough." Jack told him.

"Be there in a moment." Aster told him, closing the phone and ending the call as he dipped by the front door to drop off the finished googie.

He jumped down into his bedroom and shifted forms, yanking on clothes and grabbing his keys, wallet and phone as he left his burrow. He glanced over at the small line of googies that were waiting to either be packed up for tonight or painted on the spot. He turned from them for the moment. He'd be able to finish the line easily enough in about four hours, give or take. He sprinted through his tunnels, peeking his ears out and letting them catch the sounds around his hole before he jumped from it.

He stepped forward through the bushes and stepped out onto the parking lot for the mall. A cold gust of wind swung by, a natural one, and he lifted his nose to scent the area and that was when he caught Jack's scent. He followed his nose to a familiar mop of brown hair and he sighed in relief as he realized Jack had put on his disguise again and nobody seemed all the wiser. Aster sidled up behind him after making sure it was him and then wrapped his arms around Jack's frame in an odd show of public affection.

He nuzzled Jack's jaw and smiled. "Afternoon."

"Hmm." Jack lifted a shoulder and chuckled. "Afternoon to you. What's got you all unafraid of affection?"

"One, the disguise helps." Aster murmured, letting himself take in a few more heady sniffs of Jack before he straightened unwillingly as he realized he was going to draw attention to his odd behavior if he kept it up. "Two, Ah missed ya."

"You just saw me last night." Jack told him, turning in his arms and wrapping his around Aster's waist.

"Yea, but ya were droolin' all over yer pillow and had literally _all_ the blankets cocooned around ya." Aster teased, watching as Jack's face flushed in slight embarrassment. "It was absolutely adorable and utterly disgusting at the same time."

"Just wait Aster." Jack told him threateningly.

"Ah know, Ah know." Aster then gazed into his eyes as he asked. "So what am Ah doin' on Main street?"

"Oh right!" Jack pulled away and held out his hand. Aster took a brief moment to stare at it with uncertainty before he took it and let Jack lead them through the crowds and into the mall. "This is what I wanted to show you."

Jack led Aster through the food court and then halted right at a small store that had just been closed, cleaned and gutted. Aster raised a brow as he read 'For Lease' on the window. He frowned, glancing down at Jack.

"Jack, Ah told ya these places—"

"Now hold on!" Jack interrupted holding up a pleading finger between them. "Just think about it for a second Aster. It's the _mall_, where _everyone_ stops to shop for _everything_ they need when it comes to gifts or general needs. A flower shop with _chocolate_ confectionaries is a perfect store for this spot and if you put it right here then you'll get all the people from the food court while at the same time you'll draw in the people heading to the food court. Plus it's by the entrance and exit so anyone who needs a quick gift for their significant other can duck in and out by the end of their day."

Aster frowned, taking that into consideration and stepping forward towards the window to gaze into the empty shop. He cupped his hands around his eyes when Jack let go of his hand and he looked into the shop. It was a few feet too big for his tastes but he did like how much shelf space was available along its walls and how high the ceiling went. He shrugged his shoulders.

"Ah'll think about this place." He admitted, somewhat begrudgingly. He had barely glanced at the place before, all he'd looked at was the price tag at the time—which was five thousand a month. "Was that it?"

Jack grinned and shook his head. "Nope, come on there's another three stores for lease in here and I want you to see them." Aster nodded, willing to let Jack show him the stores if only for the fact that it was _Jack_ who had been influencing him to do it. "There's a store on the second story and then one more near another exit down this way, but there's something I want to look through upstairs so do you mind if we go that way first?"

"Up to ya, mate." Aster replied, placing his hand on the center of Jack's back and leading him forward towards the stairs. "Ya got anythin' yer doin' tonight Ah should know about aside from the talk show?"

Jack shrugged. "Not tonight no. I mean aside from our nightly routine now."

"Hm." Aster grinned and Jack chuckled. "What?"

"I have one more surprise in store for you and I can't _wait_ till we get home." Jack told him honestly, looping his arm behind Aster and making him jump when his hand brushed across his tail. Jack froze and Aster immediately knew what was coming. "What…is—what was that?"

"Jack don't ya dare, not 'ere." Aster started, immediately prying Jack's hands away as they zeroed in on the hem of his pants. "Jack, damnit, just stop—knock it—" Aster started chuckling as Jack wrestled against him to get at his tail. "Jack—damnit stop. Enough!" He huffed, still chuckling after he had wrestled Jack's hands to his chest and held them there in an iron grip. He shook his head and gripped the hands. "Enough, Ah'll...uh…"

"You'll show me later? Sate my curiosity?" Jack asked, his eyes wide. "It'll probably go well with my surprise for you."

"Jack ya know every time ya say surprise Ah get anxious because ya have a tendency ta make yer 'surprises' mortifying." Aster supplied when Jack tugged him along after he released his hands.

He followed Jack into a clothing store and watched as he bee-lined for the shirts, picking one of them up and heading to the cash register before Aster really registered what had happened. Jack soon led him from that store and then showed him the second store. Aster once again leaned forward and cupped his hands around his eyes to look inside. He immediately hated this particular store. The windows weren't right, too wide and took up too much floor space. The shelves were too close together and the flooring looked awful along with the roofing. Aster axed that one.

"Absolutely not, that one was horrid." He stated, pushing from it and once again gripping Jack's hand for no other reason than to keep his curious hands from wandering. "Last place two places ta go too?"

"This way!" Jack led him forward and Aster glanced around the mall. People milled about, unaware that Jack Frost was right in their lines of sight—it was surprising actually. He expected _someone_ to put two and two together at some point. Without needing to look at the third store for more than a second, which had been shoved in the bleakest corner of the mall, Aster axed it as well before Jack tugged him to the last with a: "Last one's right here!"

Aster halted when Jack did after following him down the stairs back onto the first floor of the mall on the opposite side they had started at and he gaped at the shop. It was small, but what it lacked in floor space it made up for in shelf space. It was a shop specifically designed for displaying things and Aster found himself entranced with the small building within the mall. He leaned forward and gazed at the ceiling, high enough where his ears could stand up freely along with no low hanging lights. He looked at the small built in table near the left side where it would fit a register comfortably and behind that were four small shelves—a perfect spot to put his chocolates. He turned, realizing he had a candy shop right across from him.

"The candy shop'll prove ta be a problem." Aster sighed. "Damn, Ah liked this spot too."

Jack stepped forward and weaseled himself into his side with a shrug. "Why don't you figure out some way to make a deal with whoever owns the candy shop? You offer a discount to anyone who shows you a receipt from the candy store and vice versa. That way you both help each other out in some way, either that or you ask him to sell samples of your chocolates and you split the difference if those samples turn out good. They'll demand the majority of course, but at least the people would know to come over to your shop for the packages of them."

"Not a bad idea…" Aster admitted with a shrug. "Question is, though, how much is this place? Ah'm assuming its close ta five thousand again."

"Fifty five hundred." Jack supplied, making him flinch at the price.

"Five thousand five hundred a _month_? How the hell am Ah going ta pay _that_?" Aster murmured, rubbing Jack's shoulder in thought.

"We can always help, and maybe if you need to you can offer to do more flowers for weddings." Jack supplied again. "At least temporarily until you kinda get on your feet. Tooth can help by supplying pictures and recommending you."

Aster glanced down at Jack, raising a brow. "Ya sure ya aren't a businessman at heart Jacky?"

Jack grinned with pride before he blushed and glanced away. "I just…I dunno I _want_ this to work out for you is all. I mean every time you talk about opening a flower shop your eyes brighten up and your smile when you talk about it is infectious."

Aster's heart softened. "Thanks Jack. Ah appreciate the care." He leaned forward and gave his head a quick peck before he sighed. "Now, let's go get some of mah googies and we can start date night early today. Ah have the night off, but ya have places ta be."

"Awesome!" Jack cheered, leading Aster through the mall again and beginning to sling ideas towards him about gathering enough money to pay for the first three to four months of initial 'opening' problems.

It wasn't long before they were lounging on the sectional of the couch in Tooth's mansion, Aster painting an egg with Jack propped up across his chest, reading through a thick book while he painted. He finished the egg and sat it gently down in the bag he had put his eggs into. He tugged out another and began painting another scene as Jack shifted in his lap, settling onto it completely while reaching a hand up to run it along Aster's ear. He twitched it away from Jack's hand and snorted.

"Don't touch, ya can get into trouble for it." Aster murmured absently as he painted. His ear twitched again when he felt Jack's fingers caress it again. "Damnit, Jack, what'd Ah—"

"You're a Pooka." Jack stated suddenly, tapping his finger on the book he was reading and then turning it to Aster. "See here? There's a tiny insignificant blurb about beings who crash landed on the planet _ages_ ago, tall, rabbit-like in nature though not necessarily rabbits—more Fae like. Highly intelligent…uh…blah, blah, blah, here! Shape-shifters and experts in vegetation! Mighty warriors—you're a warrior? Guess that explains the boomerangs."

Aster had frozen, blinking at Jack in surprise. _He got it…he had actually __**got**__ it!_

"Well?" Jack asked, raising his brows and blinking his blue eyes at him. "Did I get it right? Your silence is making me second guess myself."

Aster shook his head, grinning. "No, ya got it."

Jack's eyes widened. "Then that means you're—"

"Mmmhmm." Aster replied nodding.

"Let me see!" Jack cried out, shifting in Aster's lap and making him grunt with each clumsy movement as Jack rearranged himself on his lap. "I want to see you, the _real_ you might I add."

Aster rolled his eyes at Jack's excitement. He was about to move Jack from his lap when North came into the room and clapped Aster on the shoulder, making him jump. He turned his head to look at North who had a warm smile on his face before his eyes went to Jack.

"Jack, may I borrow Aster? Will be but for moment. Also Tooth says to start getting ready for tonight." North told Jack, who immediately groaned and hauled himself up from Aster's lap.

"All I want to do is see Aster's real form." Jack griped as he headed for the stairs.

North raised a brow and looked at Aster. "You will be here when we return, yes?"

"Ah was goin' ta head back ta the Warren ta get a few more of mah googies, but if ya want me ta stay Ah will." Aster replied as he pushed up from his spot on the couch and tucked away the last egg.

"Good, then Jack can go get ready for show and I will speak with you. You can show him Pooka self later, dah?" North glanced over to Jack. "Is that alright?"

"Sure, sure." Jack replied with a slight frown to his face as he lumbered up the stairs like every step was tedious.

North crossed his arms with a smirk towards Jack before he turned back to Aster. His brows were set just right to give him that pleasant and cheery look to his face. Aster's shoulders relaxed when he realized this wasn't going to be another threat towards his being and glanced up to North. He listened to North clear his throat and then watched as North stroked his beard in thought before he raised a hand between them, using it to gesture as he spoke. He was nervous about something.

"Bunny, I know big crowds and attention are not...favorite thing of yours." He started then added with an apologetic tone: "It was why I did not ask for you to be best man."

Aster raised his hands in the air. "North, mate, Ah'm just fine with that. Honestly ya made the right choice by tellin' me ya thought of me and lettin' me decide what ya had asked."

North nodded, his eyes taking on an anxious look. "Is good to know, old friend, but now I have favor to ask. Would you be best man at wedding? I know is not cup of tea, nor do you like attention that would be placed on you, but with Marco's wife becoming ill I find myself with—"

Aster waved his hand. "Fine. Ah'm only doin' it, though, because yer mah friend. If ya were anyone else Ah'd have told ya ta—"

Aster didn't get to finish that sentence. He was hauled up into North's arms as they squeezed the breath out of him. He huffed, trying desperately to tell North to released his ribs before the giant man dropped him onto his feet, causing him to hunch over and take in deep breaths to replenish the oxygen that had been forced out of them. He straightened eventually and North grinned at him.

"Thank you my friend." North stated, once again hauling Aster up into his arms.

"North, damnit! Put me down!" Aster shouted, hearing Jack and Tooth laugh from behind him.

North set him back on his feet, clapped him on the shoulder and then headed for the archway. Tooth stepped up to Aster and gave him a quick peck on his cheek.

"Are you staying here?" She asked.

"Ah was goin' ta go refresh mah googies, but Ah'll be back. Ah told Jack Ah'd be here." He replied, turning and closing the bag up.

"Alright. If you want you can watch us on the TV. Channel sixty eight." Tooth supplied as she turned and walked over to start shuffling them out the door. "Now let's move else we're going to be late."

Aster waved as she shuffled them out the door, grinning when he felt a cold gust of wind and then laughing as Tooth shouted for Jack. Aster turned when he felt that cold gust of wind and opened his arms, embracing Jack for a quick kiss before giving him a gentle shove towards the door. Jack took three steps before halting, his mouth opening and a brow rising in question before Aster chuckled.

"Ah promise, Ah'll be 'ere when ya get back and Ah'll show ya everythin'." Aster told him and watched that mischievous glint come to Jack's eyes followed by a wide grin. "Now get movin' ya larrikin."

* * *

To **Shanatic**: I don't know why penguins don't have top hats and monocles in the first place. They're rather drapper lookin' bastards. Thank you wifey for being an amazing PMer XD

To **Queenofcrack97**: Is revealed! Plus adorableness.

To **the** **black** **raven**: Glad it turned out good. Also when is Jack going to get what? A doinking? If it's the doinking you'll just have to wait and see.

To **Cat871**: I took a nap after posting that Chapter ;P I thought of something adorable for dear old Hog and I'll add it in when the Wedding chapter comes up. I have _all of my book_s that I've had to buy over the course of my semesters at Uni. _All_ of them have proven useful 10 times over and many of them are actually really interesting :)

To **yey**: In the above. Of course Pudge knows what Aster is. I'll get to that too. It's coming up :)

To **kcr**: Yea I'm a bit anal about typo's and such :D

To **Orion'slover**: Don't tell anyone, but I love Manny's more too XD I want to write a second story to that one just because there's so much shit I axed in the first write out through the multiple edits it went through that I have _plenty_ to write a second story with. However I'm currently dabbling up the prologue story thing and I've got Sandy's ready for reviewing and editing myself before I post it. Probably post it sometime in the next two weeks.

To **yey** (again): Good golly is it really _that_ good of a Chapter?

To **Kayla**: Where have you been? XD I was wonderin' where you had vanished off too haha. Well as you've seen above Jack finally got it! Now it's time for a bit for a private chat between the two where they sort out some of the details you've listed. Also I quit watching the Scary Movies after the second one :) Anyways, you've got to remember that Bunny's imperfect, he _makes_ mistakes just like us (hint hint).

To **Sticksandstones**: D'aww thank you (internet hug). Then be on the lookout for a few new things coming soon. I'm going to probably release the first Chapter to my newest story soon (it's a prologue chapter) and see how it fairs before I really go nuts on posting for that one, so you'll want to be on the lookout for that one. It's another Jack/Bunny fic but there's an actual plot again instead of my just winging it like this story.

To **Guest** (hrmm...let's call you **Fred**): OMG THANK YOU THERE'S MORE ABOVE AND MORE TO COME! :D

Finally to the guest who just reviewed as I was about to put this Chapter up **The Unknown: **It's not _that _great of a story. Lotsa fluffy stuff that I don't get to write usually when I do stories. Also don't check 3-4 times a day haha, I only get around to updating _maybe_ once a day, the 2 Chapters was a fluke that happened when I realized the Chapter was way too long haha. As you've probably read above, Jack finally figured out about Aster but of course he has to wait, because I can't just torture Bunny _all_ the time ;)

Alright, time for me to go write the next Chapter and fix up my first Chapter for my next story that's distracting me again...that and I got distracted by Manny's again a day ago before I dropped everything for a day.


	16. Chapter 16

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Rise of the Guardians, yadda, yadda, yadda...

To **Shanatic**: I agree, we need this Charity...though it's kinda got the S.H.I.E.L.D thing going for it when it comes to length haha.

To **Sticksandstones**: Dun worry, the teasing in this Chapter is _much_ worse.

To **yey**: HURRAY I got what I was aiming for! Thank you for clearing that up :)

To **Kayla**: I can't get financial aid if my life depended on it. Go get good tea. If I could send you a care package of food I would :) Jack's surprise should come up in the next Chapter ;)

To **the** **black** **raven**: I think its Photoshopped. In response to your question, GO READ MY AUTHOR'S NOTES ON CHAPTER 15. I answered that question in there and if you're too lazy to read the author's notes then I might find myself too lazy to reply next time.

To **grayember13** (hi new person): It's so fluffy yer gonna die, innit?

To **Queenofcrack97**: Not quite yet, but they're getting there ;)

Finally to **kcr**: I'll find a way to sneak in that little tidbit you suggested just because you've been a constant reviewer and I like to reward that ^_^

**A/N**: You guys are so lucky I'm a nice author and risking being late to shove this out because I love you guys. Also, sorry for any mistakes. I'll go through it one last time when I get home, but I wanted to be good to you guys and post this Chapter up :)

Enjoy!

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Chapter 16: Clumsy Investigations

Aster's eyes flicked up to the TV screen as the talk show host sat each member of Antarctic Blizzard down on the stiff looking couch to interview each of them briefly. His gaze was locked on Jack, who twitched endlessly while he grinned towards the audience and waved at each scream that shouted out after they had finished their brief, single song, show for the audience. Once again Aster was amazed at how _good_ of a front man Jack actually was. His energy on stage, his charisma both on and off it and his boy-ish good looks all added to his appeal—and it was all beginning to affect him, he admitted shamelessly. Those narrow hips swiveling in a sensual dance move, that mouth teasing him with a microphone and that _damn_ heady and sensual gaze to Jack's eyes with each word spoken that held unabashed passion.

Aster once again shook his head, clearing those thoughts from his mind. He was growing agitated with how those images kept popping up in his head, sparking an endless train of sensual thoughts that always made him have to stop what he was doing for ten seconds and suck in a sharp breath of air in an attempt to cool his britches.

He frowned, lowering the egg he held and watching as the talk show host began to focus all of his energy on Jack after going through about three questions per member. Aster watched as Jack answered each question that was rapidly fired at him and then held his breath when the talk show host asked about his romantic life. Aster's throat clenched and he held his breath, unsure how he wanted Jack to answer that question. They hadn't addressed it again since the initial first interest was shown, and it had been a month now since they became official. Aster, however, slumped in his seat when Jack easily evaded the question by turning it on the talk show host and distracting him with his own romantic life—which had recently included a fling with a model.

Aster sighed out in relief when that distraction proved to be a good way to get the host to change the subject and Aster pushed himself back up into a sitting position as he watched them exchange a few more words, followed by the talk show host giving the usual slew of thanks and then ending it with a goodbye. Aster turned the TV off soon as he saw the credits. He put his feet up on the coffee table, comfortable in Tooth's home, and continued to paint the egg he held. He wondered how many times Jack had been asked questions about his personal life and how he tended to deal with them. He knew if he had to deal with the questions they'd be shot down soon as they left the person's mouth. Ask him anything about his work or how he was doing in the general sense—fine, dandy. Ask him about personal questions and he was likely to return the question with a fist.

Aster's ear swiveled and then he heard a quick gust of wind followed by the pattering of leaves against the front door. The next thing he knew Jack came into the house and bee-lined for him, his staff clattering to the floor somewhere in the entryway. He watched as Jack jumped over the armrest of the couch and just barely gave him enough time to put the finished egg he had been painting down before he grunted when Jack's weight landed on him. Aster glared at Jack who grinned right back at him.

"Well?" He asked.

"Ah don't know where any wells are, mate." Aster returned, purposefully misinterpreting what he was pressing for and watching as Jack frowned at him, tapping his nose with that nipping cold again. "Damnit, Jack, what had Ah said about doin' that?"

"C'mon Aster!" Jack whined, moving his hands to his shoulders and shaking them. "I've been edge of my seat all damn night waiting to get home. Hell I even _flew_ here myself instead of waiting for the damn plane!"

Aster chuckled. "Ah'll take the hint we're alone fer a few hours then?"

Jack grinned and nodded, leaning forward and pressing his lips to Aster's. He gladly returned that kiss before he leaned back and put a hand on Jack's chest. He took in a sharp inhale and warily looked towards Jack.

"First Ah need ta discuss somethin' with ya." He told Jack, who whined again at being stalled. "Now, c'mon mate. Ah know yer all excited about figurin' out what Ah am but Ah _need_ ta discuss something with ya about us."

Jack sighed, making a show of it as he dipped his head and shoulders before nodding. "Fine."

Aster noticed Jack tried to roll from his lap. He quickly gripped Jack's hips, keeping him firmly planted in place. Just because he wanted to talk to Jack didn't mean he wanted him out of his lap. Jack froze for a moment before the right side of his lips twitched upward and then Aster watched as he languidly leaned forward, placing his left elbow on the edge of the armrest and settling himself on Aster's lap. He sucked in a sharp breath, debating with himself for a moment if he'd just made a serious mistake by urging Jack to stay put. Aster found it hard not to let out a guttural groan as Jack squirmed about on his lap in what felt like an oddly sexual way—and watching Jack perform earlier hadn't helped his mind come to this conclusion for this predicament. Aster closed his eyes and sucked in a sharp breath before he opened his eyes as he felt Jack's moving beginning to slow. Jack finished wriggling with that cocky smile before he stopped moving and met his eyes.

"The host tonight, he asked ya about yer romantic life." Aster said to distract himself from Jack's little show—after clearing his throat that is. He watched as Jack deflated in what appeared to be exasperation. "Now don't do that, c'mon we need ta talk about this."

"Well what do you want me to talk to you about?" Jack sighed out. "I mean you made it pretty clear when we started that—"

"Jacky, Ah want ya ta know that Ah trust ya ta make certain decisions. Ah do, and Ah want ya ta know that if that question comes up again ya can mention ya have a _boyfriend_ but Ah don't want ya ta name me." Aster glanced to the bag of eggs to break the eye contact with Jack, mainly because it was becoming unnerving that Jack was keeping it so adamantly. "Ah mean…if we keep up with the whole 'yer a bachelor' thing then all that does is make ya have ta keep the disguise on all the time and then ya get all the people lookin' ta date ya sniffin' 'round all the time and…and Ah can't—_won't_—let that happen."

Jack snorted out a quick laugh and sat back. He blinked wide eyes and grinned, followed by: "Oh my…wow, you're _jealous_ of people you haven't even met!"

Aster growled angrily and sat up straighter. "Ya bloody right Ah am!" He glanced away again, huffing. "Anyways, Ah want ya ta know that if that question comes up again feel free ta answer it—and Ah'm trusting ya with this," Aster gripped Jack's hand to put emphasis on the next part, "—ya _need_ ta keep mah name out of it fer as long as ya can. At _least_ until Ah'm done workin' at the steakhouse."

Jack's smile was light and full of understanding. He nodded, leaning back forward and brushing their lips together—almost as if he was sealing a deal. Aster sighed in relief.

"Thanks, mate." He stated honestly, then with a pang of guilt: "Ah'm sorry Ah'm makin' all these limitations on ya. It's a bit strainin' Ah know—"

Aster was hushed when Jack put an index finger on his lips. "I get it Aster. Anyone with half a _brain_ would understand why you don't want that kind of attention—especially considering how you handle crowds…and how annoying it would be to work _in _a steakhouse as a waiter…having to serve my fans…that's uncomfortable."

Aster smirked. Jack was as understanding about his circumstances than he'd have ever thought possible. How had he gotten so lucky? How had he managed to attract a man who was so caring, so bloody willing to bend over backwards to accommodate all of _his_ problems? Aster laid a light kiss on Jack's finger and then took the hand and gave it another loving squeeze.

"Now, onto the next thing Ah want ta talk ta ya about." Aster stated, clearing his throat after gazing at Jack for another moment. "Ya _know_ what Ah am now and ya need ta know that outside of the others and yerself Ah'll _always_ be in this form—this Hareman shape. Ah don't want people poking and prodding at me and Ah _definitely_ don't want the blighter's anywhere near mah Warren. If mah name happens ta slip out of those gorgeous lips o' yers then Ah want ya ta at _least_ stick with the story on mah papers, got it?"

Jack nodded fervently. "I got it, but I'll need to see your papers…if you don't mind that is. I don't want to mix up my story and you don't want to run around in your other form and paint a giant target on your forehead."

Aster nodded. "Ah already had that happen once and it took hiring Phil and teachin' 'im how ta run like me fer about thirty seconds ta squash the rumors of the last living Pooka and Ah'd rather just keep people from nosin' about. It took too long ta squash those rumors and Ah _know_ there are still people out there lookin' fer me so they could examine me, ask me questions—dig up _everything_ Ah've spent so long burying."

Aster's voice faltered with that and his mood dipped. It was hard _not_ to have your mood dip when you brought up your own loneliness in the world. He shook his head, his ears hitting against each other in another flapping noise as he shook off the dread. He gripped Jack's hands again and met his eyes once more.

"Thank ya Jack." Aster told him. "Ah didn't think Ah could trust ya when Ah first met ya, but this entire time ya've been workin' so hard ta prove yerself without even realizin' it. Ah can't thank ya enough fer it and…and Ah think Ah love ya fer it."

Jack's eyes widened and a grin crept up his lips. "Well, if I'd have known I was going to get _that_ admission tonight I'd have thought of something _better_ than what I had in mind for your surprise."

It took Aster a moment to decide how he should show Jack his real form. He couldn't decide if he wanted to stay comfortably laying on the sectional cushion with Jack firmly planted on his lap or if he wanted to be sitting upright in order to make it easier for Jack to push up from him and allow him the ability for him to run just in case—not that Aster thought he would. This moment of pause seemed to make Jack realize what Aster was thinking about and Jack reached up a hand to pluck at the collar of Aster's plain gray shirt with a smirk. Aster chuckled, sucking in a sharp breath and deciding it might be best to just be in a sitting position. He had began to scoot to the left when Jack weighed him down, shaking his head and gazing down at him. Aster looked up at Jack, raising a brow in question.

"I like this spot best." Jack whispered out huskily, scooting himself forward just enough to grind their pelvis' together. Aster sucked in a sharp breath, letting it shudder out and shooting a heat filled gaze towards Jack. Jack leaned forward, laying another kiss on Aster that he returned and retreating just far enough away to say, "Don't worry, _nothing _about you could ever scare me."

Aster swallowed down a groan. Of _course _Jack would say that. He wasn't connected to Mating Season, he didn't know just what Aster was capable _of _doing. Jack was still oblivious to him and Aster was scared shitless he was going to hurt the first person he'd ever came to love. It was why it had taken them a month to even get this far, and Aster still struggled with how he was going to proceed if things got much further. He'd have to keep a tight leash on his own instincts, make sure he didn't lose control and hurt Jack—or worse yet accidentally mark him. Aster felt Jack move again, but this time he couldn't stop the groan that rumbled up from his chest. Jack grinned, of course, and set a daring gaze into his eyes.

"Aster, please?" Jack pleaded.

"Ah'm…Ah'm getting' there, mate." He struggled to focus on forming words, giving his head a sharp shake in an attempt to clear it before shooting a smirk up towards Jack. "'Course who could concentrate with yer delectable arse planted on their lap?"

Jack sat back laughing lightly, planting a hand to his chest and fanning his face. "Oh my stars."

Aster shoved Jack, laughing at his idiotic attempt at humor and then motioning for him to get off his lap. "A'right Jack," Aster sucked in a sharp breath, steeling his nerves, "ya ready?"

Jack leaned back forward again, reaching for the hem of Aster's plain gray shirt and hedging his fingers under it. Aster sucked in a sharp breath as he felt Jack's cool digits trail a languid path from the hem of his jeans upwards. Aster groaned, gasping when he felt Jack's lips graze the spot just above his navel as he continued pushing his shirt upwards. Aster leaned forward just enough to strip off the shirt and toss it—he didn't know where—somewhere to the right. Jack straightened, grinning and knee-walking forward again, wrapping his hands around Aster's waist and kneading them into his sides with abandon as he hedged his fingers below the waistband of Aster's jeans, causing Aster to yelp in surprise as Jack's hands zeroed in on his damn tail.

"Crikey, Jack, ya don't let things go when ya find 'em do ya?" Aster asked, breathless as Jack ran his blunt nails across the sensitive skin above his tail. He bit his lip and heaved out a breath, feeling the first stirrings his in nether regions. "Jacky, ya might want—" Aster took in a sharp gasp as Jack playfully yanked on his tail eliciting another sharp gasp from him, "—ya might want ta knock that off now."

Jack chuckled, leaning forward and pressing their lips together again as he retracted his hands from Aster's back and moved them to the button of his jeans. Aster's hands lifted, gripping the hem of Jack's shirt and tugging at it fruitlessly—their arms tangling and laughter following soon after as Jack finally managed to get Aster's buttons undone and Aster finally managed to pry Jack's shirt from his chest.

Aster stared at Jack's alabaster skin, marveling at how strong Jack's small frame looked with tightly coiled muscles and a flat stomach. He smirked up at Jack, wanting to shift forms but unwilling to do it with jeans constricting his legs. He leaned forward, flicking his tongue out over Jack's navel and shivering with him as he did. Aster then sat back, hiking his hips off the sectional—never breaking eye contact with Jack—and then lowered the fly of his jeans and wriggled from them. He kicked his foot out, hearing the jeans hit the carpet somewhere followed by the jingling of his keychain before he shifted forms right below Jack in nothing more than boxers.

"Woah…" Jack stated breathlessly, his eyes going wide and then he leaned forward, immediately pressing his hands to Aster's chest and enticingly running his fingers through the fur there—disrupting its natural downward path and causing delightful sensations as he skimmed his fingers through it. Aster watched Jack marvel at him, saw the awe in his eyes and then heard him state: "Aster…you're amazing!"

He realized, with that admission, that he'd been tense. The utter relief that washed through him with Jack admitting that had him slumping in his seat briefly before he sat up, using his real nose to nuzzle Jack's face and sigh out in relief. Jack returned the affection by turning his head towards Aster, laying a light kiss on his cheek—which was picked up by his whiskers. Jack snickered lightly, curling away from the whiskers and laughing.

"That's going to take some getting used too." Jack stated with a smile. "Tickles like you wouldn't believe."

Aster raised his brows in disbelief, lifting a pawed hand and gently running the clawed edge across Jack's stomach, making him suck in a sharp breath and hunch forward and a fit of laughter erupted. Aster grinned when he realized Jack was ticklish. Jack groped for his hand, grabbed it and then set away to examining it closely—his eyes widened. He felt how soft Jack's touches were as he examined his paw, feather light and tentative—almost as if he was scared that if he used anymore pressure then Aster would recoil and deny him further explorations.

If anything it was having an adverse affect. Aster found himself wanting Jack to explore every inch of him—a rarity, something he hadn't even let North do…but then again they'd been too busy wrestling over dominance to really explore each other thoroughly. That and things tended to fog over for him in the haze of Mating Season. Aster jumped when he felt Jack's hands go back to his chest and Jack sent up an apologetic look. Aster smiled apologetically towards him.

"Sorry, Ah was thinkin' about something. Keep goin'." Aster urged gently.

With that Jack seemed to nod and continued his exploration of Aster's real form. Jack ran his hands through every inch of fur on his upper body, eventually making his way to his back where Aster heard a small laugh and then jumped—in excitement this time—when he felt Jack gently pull his tail. Aster glanced up at Jack who grinned down at him. Aster, this time, didn't ignore that heat that pooled downward when Jack had finished giving his tail a tug. In fact Aster bucked his hips forward, eliciting a gasp from Jack that had his _full_ attention. Aster grinned devilishly up at Jack, placing his paws on his thighs and giving them an encouraging squeeze followed by a lecherous smile.

Jack, though, returned that by grinding against him, halting with a gasp when his blue eyes widened and Aster swore he saw a light bulb appear over Jack's head briefly followed by the clicking of a light switch.

"So, Aster." Jack said from on top of him as Aster's paws began to roam up along his back. "Since you're literally a six foot…uh…one? Y'know, without the ears? Rabbit-man…thing, does that mean you go into heat?"

Aster straightened abruptly, stiffening under Jack's hands and making them pause. Well…this was quite the situation.

"Uh…er…" Aster slumped backward, feeling Jack's hands leave his chest and surprised to see Jack gazing towards him curiously. He gazed into those blue depths, torn about admitting something he considered to be fairly embarrassing—given how out of control he got during that time. He sighed. If he didn't tell Jack about then North certainly would—most likely. Aster swallowed nervously and nodded, his ears drooping. "Yea…Ah do. And it's a rut, mate, not heat. Ah'm not a bloody doe."

"Doe?" Jack asked, raising a brow.

"Jacky, yer _not_ going ta make me explain _all_ of this _right_ now, are ya?" He asked, suddenly glad he was in his Pooka form where his flushing cheeks were hidden from sight. He whimpered suddenly, realizing Jack had been teasing him with all those loving strokes and light touches of exploration. "Mate we're sittin' 'ere in the middle of the bloody living room with ya tuggin' on my tail and getting me all randy and ya want ta talk about it _now_?"

Jack leaned forward, jarring Aster a bit as he ran his hands across his whiskers and knocking his equilibrium a tad off from jarring those sensitive nerves that were connected to the follicle of each whisker, and looped his arms back around his neck. Aster was surprised when Jack pressed their chests together and he watched as Jack went eye to eye with him.

"You don't have to tell me about it now." Jack stated firmly. "But you had damn well better tell me about it later."

Aster nodded. "Ah will…it's just a tad embarassin' is all."

Jack surprised him by making a raspberry in the air. "Please, it's natural. Speaking of, are we going to continue where we left off?"

Aster watched Jack, gazing at him. He had all of five seconds to wonder just how out of control he could possibly get before he shrugged it off. He trusted Jack to find a way to pull him back if he needed it, which was exactly when he darted forward with his unnaturally fast speed and grabbed Jack up by the waist in one fluid movement, hauling him over his shoulder and heading for the stairs. Jack said something about a Kangaroo kidnapping him, which was when Aster gave his jean covered porcelain ass a swat, followed by Jack reaching down and yanking on his tail again followed by them both laughing like idiots as Aster pushed the door open to Jack's room. He tossed Jack onto the bed, closed the door behind him and then sent a predatory gaze towards him.

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And here we have the marvelous cut off point...I need a few days to write the next Chapter out I think haha.


	17. Chapter 17

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Rise of the Guardians, yadda, yadda, yadda...

_**To my reviewers: Thanks for your patience boys n' girls (HA I can say that legit-ly too)**_

To **Shanatic**: Is a _very_ good show. I want to know how Colson (sp?) survived though damnit.

To **RueRajama**: Totally worth the table on my head...I love you for editing this Chapter for me.

To **kcr**: Yep! Jealous Aster is coming up :) Along with quite a few other things that're sittin' on the sideline.

To **yey**: I did a crap ton a work that day too haha. Felt good to hug dem bunnies though XD Well here's the next Chapter! Might want to start those daily checks again ;D

To **Queenofcrack97**: Oh god, don't die after reading this Chapter please. I don't need to be arrested.

To **Sticksandstones**: I am very cruel aren't I? Also quit reading Embers of a Nightmare that entire story is me failing pfft.

To **Guest** (Cleetus): Right?! Can't get more coming out then a romp in the sack.

To **Kayla** (**Good Witch of Babble**): _The talk_, yes...question is how embarrassing can I make it for Aster and how annoyingly hilarious can Jack find the entire situation?

To **Guest** (Lou): It's a pleasantly nice story, yes. I don't write pleasantly nice too often...this one's a way for me to get the fluff out of my system so I can do cruel things to these characters in _other_ stories ;)

To **yey** (again? lol): THE BITCH SHALL RETURN, and Jack is not gun' be happy 'bout it.

To **AssholeApricots**: Kee-rist, person that name had me in a fit of laughter for at least 30 minutes. Don't _do _that to me! I can't get anything done if I'm dying from laughter! I looked insane to my family members (yes I am that easily amused). Thank you for the compliment, ya make me blush when you guys say those sweet things :) I'm glad you're enjoying the uber fluffiness.

Finally to **AvelynnLoverxx**: I tried to update asap! Got a bit stalled up :D I'm glad this is your new favorite story!

**A/N**: So guys...guess what? Uh-huh. Yep. Someone stepped it da fuck **UP** and edited this for me...along with picking this story up so now I feel alright with going forward with some of my previous plans for this fluffy thing. She also just now confirmed she'll look into Intricate Kingdoms and Manny's Moonlight too. Hurray (not sarcastically).

Without further ado I introduce you to my new editor: **RueRajaram**. Go see her work, leave her loves and make sure you say thank you to her :) I know if I could drive to her place I'd give her a hug that would rival one North could give.

If you so wish here's some tunes to groove too while reading this Chapter: Lose Yourself to Dance (Daft Punk), Massive Attack (Teardrop), The Mating Game (Bittersweet), Madness (Muse - I _love_ this song) and M83 (Midnight City). I know...I'm odd.

**THAR BE SEX AHEAD**, if you don't want to read it, skip this Chapter - you aren't missing any plot.

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Chapter 17: Laughable Debauchery

Aster reached Jack, levering a knee between his legs and for the first time in a _long _time he let his primal side filter through to the present if only for a brief, fleeting moment. He _wanted _this, _wanted _Jack writhing and arching below him as cries of pleasure ripped from his throat. The idea of Jack screaming his name sent jolts of excitement through him, causing his kissing to become sloppy—losing himself briefly to his _needs- _before he sucked in a sharp inhale when Jack pressed his chest against his. He was engrossed in the moment…at least until he felt that urge to mark Jack, to claim the other as his own to keep all prying, stealing hands away from _his_ Jack.

Aster's head dipped, resting his forehead on Jack's shoulder thin and whimpering softly. _How _was he going to do this without losing himself to his darker-self? How was he going to make sure he wasn't going to seriously hurt Jack? Aster felt panic seize his heart before Jack's chilly hands mapped a loving path along his chest, looping behind him gracefully and raking his blunt nails along his back, scooting his rump to the edge of the bed and pressing himself against Aster's knee, as desperate for relief as the other was. Aster groaned, scenting the air and smelling Jack's sweet arousal, his need that the Pooka was dying to fulfill. Aster's instincts told him his partner _desired _this, but he was still _very _concerned about injuring him. For one, he wasn't exactly small in that particular area, he _was_ a fertility spirit in most circles. Another reason, he sure as bloody hell wasn't _Human_.

As he struggled with these thoughts, Jack had set away to stroking his hands along Aster's body, disrupting the path the blue-grey fur went as he ran his digits through it and eliciting little moans and gasps from Aster as Jack's nimble hands roamed. He felt one of Jack's wandering hands move from his back and begin to caress one of his ears, making Aster tilt his head towards Jack's hand, happily nuzzling against it to encourage him to keep rubbing that spot. Finally, Aster felt sure that he was about to stumble into the throes of passion, and become thoroughly lost in them, when Jack purposefully scraped his nails against the spot right above his tail.

Aster growled hungrily, his back arching and tail standing on end as he lifted a pawed hand and shoved Jack back quickly, only keeping a loose hold of his own emotional leash. Aster felt his primal side creep out from behind his own eyes and he watched as Jack's eyes widened as he saw that look and Aster just _knew_ he felt like hunted prey that was about to be tripped up and pounced on by a starving predator—and in a way he was _right_. Aster stalked towards him, deciding the very first article of clothing that would vanish from the man's body would be those bloody jeans, followed shortly by his underwear. He crept forward slowly, reaching Jack and gripping the waistband of Jack's jeans aggressively, tugging him forward with them and eliciting a startled, yet laced with excitement, gasp from Jack. Aster leaned forward, laying his lips on Jack's in a rushed and demanding—no, _hungry—_kiss that had his longer-than-a-Human's tongue wrapping with Jack's in a dance that had the singer panting and mewling below him as Aster's paws worked on unbuttoning the other's bloody jeans. He was ecstatic when he felt that clasp give way, tilting back to unzip the fly and then leaned back forward to give another deep kiss right as he gripped the jeans and aggressively yanked them down.

Jack, if the sweet sounds he was emitting were anything to go by, seemed _more _than willing to handle a touch of rough housing as he cried out in excitement at each rough tug followed by him wriggling his hips and; then lifting them as Aster broke the kiss to tug the offending material off completely. Aster then grinned up towards Jack, gripping the elastic band of his boxers and pulling them off quick as a whip, making Jack shoot into a sitting position with a blush adorning his face and his eyes widening at his sudden nudity while he attempted to cover himself in vain, both knowing that the Pooka wouldn't let that happen. Aster chuckled evilly, to which Jack frowned up at him, reaching a hand out and tugging sharply on an ear.

"Ow." Aster murmured, wincing at the jolt of pain. He temporarily checked back into his own sane brain from that jolt of pain and sent a glare towards Jack. "Yer going ta pay fer that."

"Uh-huh, that's what you get for just ripping my clothes off like an animal." Jack chastised with a teasing wink before he relaxed from trying to hide his bare body.

Aster tilted his head in thought for a moment, eyeing Jack and raising impressed brows as he began swinging Jack's boxers in the air on an index digit and shrugged, tossing the boxers somewhere in the room, they would find them later. "Worth it." He said, smirking, as he ran a digit over an exposed knee, tracing he curve.

Jack huffed, crossing his arms over his bare chest, which Aster was growing very fond of, before he chuckled, nodding towards Aster's boxers. "Aren't you going to undress yourself? Or do I get to be the only naked person in the room?"

Aster chuckled again. "Ah'll have ya know," The Pooka slipped his thumbs into the elastic waistline and pulled it forward, then down, "Ah'm _always_ actually naked. Fur's a great way ta run 'round in the nic with nobody noticin'."

"Cheater." Jack muttered dejectedly. He then straightened and zeroed in on Aster's exposed crotch. "Uh…how're we…er…? Y'know…"

Aster sling-shot his boxers across the room, wincing when they crash landed into something on Jack's dresser and sending an apologetic look to Jack who laughed and waved it off. Aster once again leaned forward and began to climb across the bed, coaxing Jack into laying his back onto it even though his ass was just off the edge. Aster caught himself as he headed for the right side of Jack's throat in another instinctual need to mark him, dipping his head and instead licking and lapping at Jack's chest, sucking on a nipple when he came across one.

"Don't worry about it, Snowflake. Ah'm a lot more similar ta ya than ya think." Aster replied, nipping gently down on Jack's chest and nuzzling at the edge of his rib cage, inhaling deeply as he did so: Sharp winter, was the best word for Jack. "Fer example, Ah can't bloody _wait_ ta fuck ya."

Jack shivered below him, lifting his hands from their clawing at the bed sheets and began to comb them through his fur again; running his hands along Aster's ears, between them where he played lightly with the Mohawk that laid there and making him move back upwards so Jack could rub the spots he wanted him too on his ears to _really _rev his engines. Aster lifted a hand and took Jack's, laying a kiss to the center of it before he guided it right to the base of one of his ears and showed him how to rub the spot _just_ right. Jack sat up again, moving both hands onto his ears and making him groan as he massaged the base of his ears, hitting _all_ the right movements that had Aster thrilling in the feel of it—so much so his hind leg kicked out and the thump resonated through the quiet room while his groin tightened.

Jack snickered with joy, moving his hands from that location and trailing them along Aster's front before he felt those hands weave their way behind him and give his tail a playful pull—another thing that had Aster snapping to attention—again followed by the other hand gently messaging the spot above his tail.

Aster's lids fluttered from the pleasure of that, feeling himself harden as a rush of hormones shot through his system followed by a shiver of ecstasy. "There ya go, mate. That's…that's a good way ta get this started."

Jack grinned towards him and he leaned forward, wrapping Jack up in his arms and beginning to let his hands roam as he settled in for another deep kiss that seemed to evolve into another sloppy and desperate one; fueled by need, frustration, and a horny immortal teenager. He caressed Jack's sides, swatted playfully at his ass when he could reach it and slowly—carefully—slid Jack further onto the bed where he finally broke the kiss and once again had to stop himself from biting into Jack's collar in an attempt to mark him. A small growl rippled from him as he halted that rush of instinctual need, but he squashed it as he began to nuzzle, lick and nip his way back down along Jack's chest with a single intent.

"Shouldn't—ah!" Jack's legs tightened around him as he nipped just above his navel followed by him taking in a sharp breath. "Shouldn't _I_ be doing this to—Aster!—you?!"

Aster grinned up at him, having just swirled his tongue in his navel and; then he straightened pushing back just enough to look at Jack. His chest and face held hints of his blush, his chest heaving with heavy breaths, but the best part was the utter peace that Aster felt for the first time in ages as he looked at Jack. Jack's eyes went to him, a brow raising as he huffed out a quick breath and cleared his throat.

"Aster?" He asked, sounding worried. "You…you oaky?"

Aster nodded. "Fer tha first time in awhile Ah think Ah can actually say Ah am."

Aster leaned back, gripping Jack's thigh and tugging him towards him in order to keep him from slipping off the edge of the bed as he let his other paw between them trail a tantalizingly close path to Jack's neglected groin. Jack sucked in a sharp breath, his head snapping downward and then back up to meet Aster's eyes. Aster leaned forward and encased his lips in another crushing and demanding kiss, taking Jack's length in his hand and gently caressing it. He smiled when Jack sucked in another sharp breath, breaking the kiss to moan as his face scrunched up in pleasure before his moan morphed into a guttural groan as Jack's back arched off the bed sharply, pressing their chests together and causing a sensual caress between the two. Aster shivered at that sound and ate up the image in front of him. He was mesmerized by the breathtaking sight.

Jack looked like some wonton lover with his face blushing, his eyes half-mast and his breathing coming out in short, heavy, pants through his mouth before Jack bit his lower lip, casting his eyes downward, then back up, his cheeks still flushed and his nostrils flaring with each sharp inhale as Aster slowly, teasingly, pumped him. Jack sat up with a cry, curling forward and placing his right hand on his furred shoulder while his left wandered another path along Aster's chest, heading downward as Jack met his eyes with pleasure glazing them. Aster purred when he felt one of Jack's hands begin to trail close to where he was unsheathed.

That hand halted when he purred but he nuzzled Jack's cheek before he adjusted his head and nipped at his strong jaw, encouraging him and groaning himself as Jack's room temperature hand found his quarry followed by a tentative squeeze that had Aster taking in a sharp inhale. He shivered at the initial touch before he shuddered as the sensations crawled up his back, nuzzling Jack again and giving his cheek a quick lick that had him humming happily—especially after he had rolled his hips forward into Jack's touch. Aster found himself losing focus, releasing Jack's erection and jolting suddenly when he felt Jack's hands brush over one of his testicles before Jack's hand halted and a quick smirk crossed his face.

Jack's hand on his shoulder squeezed lightly and then Jack leaned back, his brows knitting together in concentration as he began to clumsily feel around his length, seeming as if he was searching for something. Aster chuckled absently as Jack's hand was quickly joined by his other as he wriggled his hips to get in a better position to reach Aster; before he made Aster moan as their erections rubbed together, causing Jack finally shouted in triumph.

Aster's hands shot to Jack's shoulders as he felt Jack massage his testicles, having apparently been on a search for them even though they sat to either side of his own erection. Jack glanced up to him, narrowing his eyes with a look of determination, and then began to move his hands in tandem. Aster gasped, his left paw gripping Jack's shoulder as his knees threatened to buckle while Jack began to slowly, teasingly, message around the area while he set away to making Aster moan, groan and cry out between panting breaths.

Aster found it _very_ hard to not scream and whimper as Jack's hand would caress him, followed shortly by Jack messaging the area and then set away to pumping him with a sure grip. It was torturous and it had Aster's mind in a state of befuddlement as he was lost to the sensations that were coming from Jack's hands. He dug his claws into Jack's shoulders and sucked in sharp panting breaths, his lids lowering as his partner—no the man he wanted as his _Mate_—handled him with scarily sure movements. Jack then huffed below him and Aster _thought_ Jack was beginning to tire of his own little game, which was why he had released a paw, and was trailing it down towards Jack's own erection again before Jack moved suddenly, throwing his paw's hand off its path.

"Damnit, Aster, lay on the bed." Jack scooted out from below him and in one quick gust of chilled wind once he got behind Aster, pushed him onto the bed and then Aster immediately pushed up from the bed and turned, ready to refute this position before Jack shut him up by kneeling down between his knees and setting that determined gaze on his crotch again. "I can't do this with you standing like that."

Aster's words came out jumbled when he watched Jack's head tilt to the right before his left hand set away to messaging his powerful thigh, his right gripping him in a tight—comfortably so—grip again. Aster threw his head back, beginning to pant and claw at the bed followed by the sure tearing of the sheets as he heard the rips his claws were causing as he wrung his hands through the sheets while his toes curled from the building tidal wave of pleasure. Aster gulped in desperate breaths of air, honestly forgetting how _good_ it felt to have someone lovingly touching him the way Jack was. He groaned as another pleasurable ripple echoed from him and then a cry broke out as he felt Jack's lips along the side of his length.

"Oh crickey, Jack—" He began before his brain stopped working as Jack's tongue licked his tip enticingly.

Aster's hips bucked off the bed, barely hearing Jack laugh before he whimpered in ecstasy as Jack blew a cold stream of air across it, his digits digging into the mattress again and tearing it more, as Jack's mouth encased him in a surprisingly warm hole. Aster's back arched, a cry broke from his throat again and he felt a coiling sensation in his lower abdomen. He pushed up into a sitting position, his paws flying for Jack's mop of snow white hair and gripping it as he curled forward and panted, lost to the sensation of Jack's mouth and lips, one hand placed firmly on his thigh and massaging it earnestly while his other hand set to work pumping the part of him that Jack _hadn't _been able to encase in that sinful mouth of his. It felt _so_ good, and Jack _had_ to have done this before.

"Mate, ya keep—" His paws tightened on Jack's head as another ripple of ecstasy shot through his frame again in a quick shuddering jolt. "Jack—Jack, stop. Jack, ya keep that up—JACK!"

He managed to pry Jack from his crotch as he cried his name and pulled the man to him. He pressed their lips together, tilting his head to adjust better and set away to exploring Jack's mouth while wrestling with his tongue when they met. He managed to flip Jack onto the bed again where he positioned himself between his legs. He set away to breaking the heady kiss off and began to explore Jack's body again, seemingly worshipping it as he licked, nipped and kissed his way downward where he finally—his original intent finally being sated—took Jack into his mouth. He gripped Jack's hips the second he felt them move and pushed them into the mattress to keep Jack from stabbing him in the back of the throat.

Jack writhed and squirmed below him, each panting breath accompanied by a small noise that grew in its volume as he released a paw from Jack's hip and set away to massaging and lightly squeezing Jack's testicles. Jack's legs snapped up and then gripped him as he tentatively deep throated him—taking his time in doing so and trying to remember how he had done it to North. Jack's panting picked up and Aster released his erection after hollowing his cheeks and then smirked up at Jack whose head snapped up from the mattress—hair mussed for once from sex instead of the usual wind—and Aster once again crawled up onto the mattress.

He trailed a tongue along a tantalizing path up Jack's chest again before he nipped at his jaw—purposefully avoiding the right side of his throat. He nuzzled his nose into his ear, nipping lightly at the shell of it before asking,

"Got any lube?" He asked, hoping—no _praying_—Jack did.

Jack's head bobbed and he leaned forward, groaning as Aster's fur caressed him. Aster shivered when he heard that groan, his length twitching from the sound of it as he relished in the deep baritone sound. Jack panted, pointing to the nightstand.

"There, it's in there." He gasped out.

Aster leaned backward, precariously on the edge of the bed with his hind feet, from Jack briefly to open the nightstand, dig out the lube and then he popped the lid off as he gripped Jack's left forearm and tugged him so that he rolled onto his belly on the bed. Aster dropped the lube onto the bed when he reached Jack, him having rolled onto all fours and eliciting a growl of approval from Aster as Jack did as _any _good Mate would've done. It impressed him that Jack had moved into that position so easily without putting up any fights, followed by his paws gripping, kneading and then swatting Jack's gorgeous ass, making him yelp and then shiver. Jack's responses to his actions made him delight and filled him with relief, glad to know that his partner was taking just as much pleasure from this fleeting moment as he was. Aster popped the lid of the lube and worked it into his right paw and set away to slowly working Jack from behind, wanting to make sure he didn't hurt him thanks to improperly preparing him—as he had with North.

Aster took it slow, only adding a digit when he felt Jack loosen and relax before he'd tense back up again—only briefly—and then he would loosen and allow Aster to scissor his digits, ever careful of the claws on his pawed fingers. Jack huffed and panted below him, sweat streaking itself across his back and wetting his hairline before it started to freeze over in ice. Aster relished in the sight in front of him as he added a third digit and began an easier assault, leaning forward and running his velvety rough tongue along the dip in Jack's lower back and tasting that salty sweetness that was _all _Jack. Jack's ass wriggled enticingly and he moaned, pushing back into his hand while his back arched from the licking. The sight alone as Jack's head tilted back to let out a heady groan almost had Aster losing it. He soon withdrew his digits, applying a healthy lubing to his erection before he dabbed more onto Jack's hole before he lined himself up with Jack.

"This'll hurt." He stated, all too aware of it himself—not to mention he was fairly big. "Ah'll go slow and ya tell me how it is."

Jack nodded, unable to form words aside from cries that Aster couldn't decipher as he slowly pushed in. It was excruciatingly hard for him not to just thrust deeply into Jack and let his primal side kick to the forefront, but Aster somehow managed to keep himself in check and slowly—carefully—pushed into Jack as he writhed, crying out in a mixture of pain and pleasure. Aster, hearing those sounds, panted heavily and pressed his chest into Jack's back, nuzzling just behind his ear and propping himself over Jack with his left paw while he set away to trailing his right along Jack's stomach, attempting to distract him from the pain as he teased his claws across Jack's smooth stomach and caused a rippling shiver and shudder before Jack gasped as his paw reached its destination and he gripped Jack briefly and gave a little tug before setting away to massaging his testicles.

Aster finally stopped, realizing he was finally fully encased _inside_ Jack—his own attempt at a distraction causing him to lose focus on what he was doing as well. Jack huffed below him and he growled pushing away that instinctual want to bite down of Jack's right collar and _take_ him for a Mate, whether he wanted it or not. Aster groaned, rolling his hips and gasping himself at the feel of Jack.

"Fuck, mate." He groaned, unable to state more as Jack pressed his ass backwards and wriggled it.

"I'm good, go." Jack stated firmly, beginning to rock forward as a way to encourage Aster.

He hummed his agreement, retracting from Jack just enough to piston his hips forward and make Jack let out an enticing cry that tickled _every_ primal urge in Aster. He felt his lower abdomen tighten, thrusting forward again as he had begun to withdrawal and making Jack let out another cry of pleasure with the sharp echo of fur on flesh cracking out in the room in a quick slapping sound. He nuzzled Jack's ear again, whispered encouraging things to him followed by Aster beginning to pump Jack in time with each thrust.

"Aster!" He shouted out, a hand lifting to grip his paw as he worked him, bouncing him forward with each hard thrust as they began to lose their slow pace and it picked up with a primal edge.

Aster shivered in delight at hearing his name, his orgasm threatening to overtake him. It had been too long since he'd done this—too long being celibate aside from the fluke Mating Season. Aster huffed, desperate to try to keep himself from releasing too soon but found it too hard with Jack mewling, panting, arching and rubbing their bodies together in just the right amounts of friction. The stimulation became too much for him and Aster gave two powerful thrusts before he released, feeling _awful_ about doing it before Jack had and shuddering out from the ripples that followed an orgasm.

Jack's form shook below him in a light laugh. "Too much for you Cottontail?"

Aster let out a quick snorting laugh. "Ya might've been." He rubbed his nose along Jack's back before he flipped Jack over onto his back and set away to pumping him, eventually making his way downward to work him with his mouth, swallowing when Jack found his release with a cry of Aster's name. Then Aster pushed himself to his knees and languidly crawled back up next to Jack. "Mate, ya have _no_ idea how goddamned irresistible ya look in the throes of passion. Maybe next time Ah'll close mah eyes."

Jack snickered, cuddling into his side and nuzzling his nose into the especially larger tuft of fur at his chest. "That's okay. It's great to know I can make you lose it like that." He tilted his head up to peer at Aster through the curtain of sweat laced bangs that were beginning to freeze over. "Was it good?"

Aster heard Jack ask this, a yawn happening at the end of his question. Aster curled a digit under Jack's jaw, lifting his mouth to lay a warm, loving and gentle kiss to those pale lips before he smiled against them.

"Mate, ya were amazing—truly skilled. Ah had _no _idea ya were that good at this." He admitted.

Jack smiled warmly, sighing out and resting his head on Aster's chest. They stayed there, holding each other in post orgasm bliss and relishing in the scent of the sex laced bedroom. It was so peaceful, both of them content and sated. Aster noticed they were both beginning to nod off which was when he nabbed up the lube from where it had rolled into Jack's side and set it on the nightstand before he hefted Jack's frame up into his arms, ignoring how Jack cuddled into him as if he was a stuffed animal and messily laid them both under the covers. Jack pressed himself into Aster's front whose arms automatically curled around his frame and tugged him tightly to the spot he clung too, taking in heady and heavy scents of Jack as he nuzzled his hair as Aster curled himself around Jack.

Aster spent a moment longer gazing at Jack with relief flooding his system as he realized he hadn't hurt Jack, nor had he let his more primal side do anything more than peek beyond the curtain. He shoved those thoughts away as his eyes drooped. They fell asleep early that night, but neither cared.

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Okay so...ya happy now? I hope that was acceptable smut. **Rue**! To da choppa! Uh...I don't know when the next update is :D Sorry. Hopefully before I go on vacation?


	18. Chapter 18

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Rise of the Guardians, yadda, yadda, yadda...

**CrossroadsLovely**: Wipe those tears away! Rue's here to save the day.

**GissieGirl**: I gots one :3

**Tigermike83**: Yep she's a keeper :) Glad you liked it!

**Kcr**: Ha, not as much blushing as I did writing the damn thing. There's more smut coming too…I hate myself so much right now because that one took literally 4 to 5 days to crank out, excluding the week wait to get it back from old editor before I picked up RueRajam because she's awesome XD

**Greyember13**: Was it really that hot? I just liked the fact that I embarrassed the hell out of Aster and made him orgasm first hahahaha.

**Yey**: Welp the jealousy for Jack is making an appearance as for when I get back from vacation you'll get Aster's jealousy because it kinda steamrolls into the next bit.

**Sticksandstones**: I have no idea what to say after I write it so…what size jacket do you wear? You can join the baffled club.

**Shanatic**: My god woman I expected that review first! Now go properly kill people in Assassin's Creed ya slacker.

**Good Witch of Babble**: The talk happens, along with a few other goodies. As for the whole 'talking' to Jack bit about Mating Season…it's hedged here. As for the rest? That's for vacation writing ;D

**A/N**: Those who missed 17 smut, go back and read if you want – replaced the update chapter with smut chapter, is a good trade. On vacation for now but want to know what you guys want to read more on for this story (if at all) – otherwise it'll be ending in about 4, 5 to 6 Chapters. Only have a few things left to cover – Mate season, wedding, and the final Jack 'surprise' for Bunny. All of these can be summed up in the next 5 chapters unless you guys want more. I wanted to do something with 'kits' but I think I might just trash that idea entirely because of length concerns unless you guys outright want some mpreg (but I'm doing it my way :) ).

When I return (hopefully your reviews will give me info so I can write while on vacation, because there's nothing better than actually being relaxed while writing) there should be an update to Intricate Kingdoms (yey) and possibly even Manny's. Also...I got yelled at for these two chapters. OH and I'm giving you 2 Chapters because I'm gone for a week and I'm a nice author...so let me know what/if you guys want more.

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Chapter 18: The Morning After

Aster had snapped awake at eight that morning, shooting up from his spot next to Jack and having a moment of panic as he gazed about a room that wasn't familiar to him. He heard a sleepy grumble next to him, followed by the soft scraping of cloth that drew his gaze to the right where Jack laid next to him. His panic faded and a soft smile replaced it as he gazed at Jack. He resisted the urge to lean over to give his cheek a peck, wanting Jack to remain sleeping for as long as he could, and climbed from the bed to use Jack's bathroom.

He emerged a few minutes later, crouching and yawning followed by him doing a _very_ natural thing for him an immediately setting away to scratching his jaw, followed by a few other spots on his head, back and shoulders, with his hind paw. He _did_, however, manage to avoid giving himself a full on tongue bath. Now _that_ would've given Jack all the ammo in the world for pestering him mercilessly and he wanted to hold off showing Jack that side for as long as he could. Aster gave himself a shake before he stood and yawned yet again, rubbing the back of his neck and feeling, for the first time ever, content. He couldn't think of a damn thing to complain about for once and he normally had a lot to complain about. He didn't care that his job sucked, wasn't worried over Easter and he definitely felt more at ease with Jack than he had previously.

He sent one last look over to Jack who was sleeping peacefully on the bed and grabbed up his boxers from the dresser, wincing when things banged against one another followed by his stomach growling. Aster winced and hunched his shoulders, glancing over to see Jack roll around on his bed and sprawl out spread Eagle across its surface under the ripped and torn covers. Aster smiled fondly at the image in front of him before he peeked out of the bedroom and into the hallway, letting his ears swivel to and fro to see if he could catch any sounds. His right ear twitched when he heard North's voice from below:

"I am telling you, Tooth, they are fine." He said with a certainty. "Is not Mating Season yet, Bunny will not hurt him."

"I know that North! But what happens when Mating Season _does_ come?" Tooth shot back, sounding everything like a worried mother.

Aster rolled his eyes, closing the door behind him and giving himself another shake as he started down the hallway to the stairs. He snuck around the house gathering up his discarded clothes, which were surprisingly still where he'd left them…at least _most_ of them were. He couldn't find his damn shirt. He shifted into his more Hareman shape after tugging his boxers on and slipped his legs into his jeans, setting away on the search for his shirt. He had just ducked below the coffee table when he heard his name from North, his friend's voice making him jolt in surprise and giving him the capability of smacking his head on the bottom of the coffee table followed by him letting lose a string of swear words that would've made his mother blush. He glared at the shirt, trying to even figure out _how_ it got _under_ the table, before he grabbed it up and crawled back out from under the coffee table. He rubbed the back of his head, pitting a glare towards North as his ears shot backwards.

"What?" He asked in a biting tone, flipping his shirt outside in and then tugging it over his arms.

"How did last night go?" North asked, crossing his arms and raising a brow.

"It went fine!" Aster growled, not entirely happy with everyone knowing he and Jack had just had a roll in the hay—though he should have thought of that last night and gathered their scattered clothes _before_ he had carried Jack up the stairs, but, hey, he had _other_ things on his mind. "And before ya ask, no, Ah didn't bloody mark him." Aster then averted his gaze, tugging the shirt on and sparing a glance towards North that had him sweating.

"But…?" North pressed, leaning forward menacingly, his eyes narrowing.

Aster rubbed his neck and bounced his left hand on his hip. "_But_ Ah sure as hell wanted ta." He admitted on a sigh, slumped onto the seat of the couch and rubbing his face. "North…how am Ah going ta keep from doin' that during Mating Season? It's the whole _purpose_ behind it!"

North tsked, muttering something in Russian before he looped around the couch and sat next to Aster. "Have you _talked_ to Jack about this yet, Bunny? Or have you done usual distracting from matter at hand?"

Aster kept his blushing face hidden behind his hands as he murmured, "Well whad'ya expect me ta do? Mate, Ah _wanted_ him and…and Ah couldn't _ignore_ him." Aster shuddered at the memory of last night; realizing sex with Jack might very well become an unhealthy, _addictive_ drug for him if for no other reason than the fact that he'd been sex starved for so long and last night had re-awakened things he had kept dormant for so long. "Ah don't…Ah _didn't_ want ta hedge the subject. He wouldn't agree ta it anyways!"

"Agree to what?" Jack asked from behind them, making Aster jump and North turned with a smirk to his face.

For someone with such superior hearing people tended to sneak up on him a lot. Aster turned a heated look to North when he saw that smile cross his face, "North don't ya dare tal—"

"I was talking to Aster about his Mating Season coming up." North stated frankly, making Aster positively fume from next to him, as he shot a glare at the Russian.

"Oh right!" Jack sent a lopsided grin to Aster, leaning forward on the back of the couch and wearing a loose fitting shirt paired with men's yoga pants. Aster cocked a brow at his attire before he had a lap full of Jack—momentarily distracted by the feel of those pants on Jack's legs before he heard Jack say, "So, when do you want to talk about that?"

"Preferably never." Aster murmured, warily looking to Jack whose eyes glittered with mirth.

"Why never?" Jack's mouth quirked into a smile before his eyes widened. "Oh crap your present!"

"Is in fridge, safe and sound." North yelled when Jack scrambled from Aster's lap, making him grunt again as he managed to hit _all_ the soft spots, making the injured Pooka believe that Jack either had a natural talent for it, or was trying to. Aster sighed when North set a fatherly look to him that threatened castration if he didn't listen. "_Talk_ to him. He is…much more willing to help than you think, Bunny."

Aster groaned like a teenager who had just been told to clean his room for the fifteenth time that morning. He sucked in a long breath, glared holes at the ceiling as he felt North's unwavering gaze on him before he nodded sharply. North nodded, clapping him on the shoulder and making him wince from the strength in that friendly gesture. Aster watched as North stood from the couch and then he flinched when cold hands covered his eyes.

"Damnit, Jack!" Aster growled irritably before he heard him snickering.

"Keep your eyes closed." Jack told him.

"Fine, but if yer up ta no good Ah reserve the right ta bludgeon ya." Aster griped, feeling those cool appendages leave his eyes and keeping them closed. "Ah'm tellin' ya, mate, if ya keep up this flittin' about business and usin' me as yer personal runway Ah'm—"

Aster froze when he felt a spongy material be placed into his mouth mid-rant. He froze, tasting carrots and feeling Jack's fingers slip out from his mouth followed by the man perching himself on his lap, Jack wriggled a bit before hissing in what sounded like pain. Aster's eyes snapped open, the food in his mouth forgotten as that hiss of pain sounded out from Jack and panic gripped Aster's heart.

"Ya a'right?" He asked, worried that he may have very well hurt Jack after all.

"Aster please!" Jack huffed. "I'm _fine_! I'm just a little sore from not having done that for a few months."

Aster frowned, shaking his head. "We aren't doin' that again. Not if ya hurt every time after."

Jack rolled his eyes. "Oh yea right, like you could keep me from enticing you." He turned to the right, scooped up another bit of carrot cake with his fingers and turned back to Aster. "All I have to do is _rub_you the right way."

Aster narrowed his eyes. "Ya aren't goin' ta get away with _rubbin'_ me the right bloody way again if ya think Ah'm goin' ta let ya get hurt every bloody time we—" Aster sucked in a sharp breath as the tricky Frost sprite in his lap leaned forward and rubbed the base of his ear followed by him brushing their lips together in a chaste kiss before those lips were replaced with another bit of carrot cake. Aster snapped his hand up and gripped Jack's wrist, chewing the piece of carrot cake before he met Jack's eyes and licked those frosted fingertips clean. Jack smirked, his body shivering. Aster felt that shiver and did his damndest to crush what it did to his body by turning it into a growl of anger. "A'right, fine! Ya got a bloody way ta make me do about anythin' ya want but Ah _still_ don't want ya ta get hurt in the process, mate."

Jack chuckled; giving Aster's lips one more chaste kiss before leaning back and then throwing his hands up in a stretch that was accompanied by a yawn. Aster threw his arms back along the back of the couch, gazing at the show in front of him while it happened before Jack slumped forward with a sigh. Jack then rubbed the back of his head and chuckled.

"Like my carrot cake?"

"That yer surprise?" Aster asked, amused.

Jack nodded, glancing away with a blush tinting his cheeks. "Pathetic, right?"

"No, Ah happen ta like it." Aster replied, seeing the pride flash on Jack's face as his eyes brightened. "Ah would suggest using olive oil instead of butter next time ta make it a bit softer, but it's not bad. Are ya goin' somewhere today?"

Jack heaved another sigh. "Dance lessons."

"You go too Bunny!" North shouted from the kitchen.

"What?!" Aster squawked from the couch, immediately ready to refute that.

"You're the best man, Bunny!" Tooth shouted this time. "It's your job to dance with people!"

Aster crossed his arms and glared. He already knew how to _dance_, why the hell would he go to dance _lessons_? "Ah'd rather go sit through one of yer noisy bloody concerts."

"Ohhh! Can you come to the one next month then?" Jack asked, leaning forward and smirking.

Aster narrowed his eyes before he gripped Jack and wrestled him to the couch. He set away to attacking him with his fingers, making him kick out and throw his head back as he laughed from the—and this was real mature of Aster—tickling.

"Go ta yer bloody concert?" Aster asked in a teasing smirk, crawling onto his knees on the couch to get a better angle at Jack's stomach. "Whad'ya take me fer, yer boyfriend?!"

"Yes!" Jack shouted, desperately trying to roll out from under him. He almost escaped once before Aster dug up his martial arts trainings and began to wrangle him into unmoving positions. "Aster! Stop!"

"Not on yer nelly, mate!" Aster replied. "Ya don't talk as much if yer too busy laughing."

Jack kicked out again before he sent out a nipping cold towards Aster, making him halt and then Jack lurched forward and tackled Aster off the couch. They fell off the couch in a heap, Jack on top of him and Aster feeling a little giddy inside from the fleeting moment of fun before Jack leaned forward and gave him another kiss—which he reciprocated with a passion. They broke from one another moments later, Jack laying his head on Aster's chest and beginning to trail his finger along Aster's shirt.

"So…about Mating Season…"

Aster huffed. Honestly he didn't want to talk to Jack about it. He _still_ wanted to avoid the topic and act as if it had never been brought up. He raised a hand and rubbed his face, trying to think of where to even _begin_ with this subject. It was _so_ hard to explain it to beings that didn't have some aspect of a bestial side. Of course there was also his species' reason for Mating Season. It wasn't _just_ fucking senselessly in an attempt to procreate. It was cementing a bond that only death from one or both parties would break, and if that bond had already been set then it was the prime time to allow for easier conception thanks to gentler climates and that relaxing realization that Spring had finally arrived and the cold of Winter had finally passed. His hand halted and he steeled his nerves.

"Well…ahhh…" Aster began, the words sticking to the inside of his throat like phlegm. He cleared his throat. "Fer…fer mah kind, Pooka's, Mating Season isn't just mindless…er…"

"Fucking?" Jack asked, the smirk in his voice and mirrored on his face. "By the way why aren't you in your Pooka form, hm? I spent _all_ that time finding out what you are and all I get is one night with that form?"

Aster sent a withering look to Jack and lifted a jean clad leg. "Ya think _these_ are comfortable on _those_ legs, mate?"

Jack winced. "Oh…no probably not."

Aster nodded. "As Ah was sayin', Mating Season fer us encompasses sating our primal need ta _fuck_—as ya so eloquently put it—but there's also two dual meanings ta it. The first relies on cementing that bond between a pair. It lets us bond with our Mate in such a way that it's almost as if we're married." Jack straightened when he said this and Aster held up a hand. "Let me finish. The second reason goes fer already Mated pairs. It's a time ta try fer a family, and it usually worked." Aster saw Jack's mouth' fall agape and he slapped his hand to it to keep Jack quiet. "Don't interrupt, damnit. Ah'm almost done!" He dropped his hand and Jack blinked those big blue eyes at him. He averted his gaze and sighed. "Ah wasn't even going ta bring Mating Season up ta ya. Ah didn't want ta risk markin' ya while Ah was outta mah mind from hormones. Ah didn't think ya'd want ta even participate—especially since Ah get fairly rough, more so than last night."

Jack blinked at him a few more times before he shrugged. "I bet I could handle you."

Aster shot up from his spot on the floor. He turned to Jack and lowered his brows.

"Ah doubt that. Ya can't even grapple me off ya." Aster shot back in a challenging tone.

Jack rolled his eyes. "Because I'm not _trying_ too."

"Oh Ah'm _sure_ that's exactly what yer tryin' not ta do." Aster rolled his eyes and then yelped when Jack's hand shot out and gripped his ear, tugging on it mercilessly.

"What was that Cottontail? I can't hear you over how pathetic you get when I grip one of these babies." Jack teased, Aster growled and soon they were once again wrestling on the carpet—a game for Jack and an attempt to strangle the Frost sprite from annoyance for Aster.

"Jack! Bunny! Get moving!" Tooth shouted at them back from back of the couch. "And Bunny stop trying to strangle Jack, we need his throat."

Aster pitted a glare towards Jack who smirked and then darted forward to press a quick kiss to his nose before he wriggled out from under him. Aster remained flat on the floor and watched as Jack stretched again, gazing at his lean frame with a hungry gaze that had Jack smirking when he turned back around.

"Well c'mon 'Roo." Jack told him.

Aster narrowed his eyes. "Ah'm going ta kill ya."

Jack snickered, yelping when Aster got his feet under him and chased after him as they headed for the door, Aster taking five seconds to grab up his bag of googies that had been finished last night before Jack had practically attacked him. It wasn't long before Aster was dropping Jack off at the dance studio followed by Aster driving the truck back to the boarding house, promising Jack he'd do dance practice with him at a later date when Easter _wasn't_ on the horizon. As it was he was already pushing his luck when it came to finishing up Easter on time, and it didn't help much that when he parked the truck in front of the boarding house Hog stood there…along with Angelique.

Aster glared towards her, having sworn he'd put his foot down about her proposal by telling her Community member to rack off, before he climbed from the truck and grabbed his bag of eggs. He hauled it gently over his shoulder, doing his best to keep the contents within from rattling too much, and stepped forward towards the porch he had been fixing up little by little. As it stood, the porch needed a finishing agent followed by a good painting.

Aster gazed warily towards the two on the porch and then halted when Ms. Hubbard came from within the confines of the house and handed Angelique a stack of papers. Aster raised a brow at that, but let it pass. He turned and watched Angelique leave, her nodding towards him with a smirk that had him on edge followed by Hog who greeted him in his usually gruff voice.

"Rabbit." Hog greeted.

"Hog." Aster ground out, turning to watch Angelique get into her car and drive off. He turned back to Ms. Hubbard and Hog who were both looking towards him with worry. "What can Ah do ya lot fer?"

"I'm here to go over a few details about the Easter festival." Hog replied, waving a folder towards Aster.

"And I was just handing that nice young woman lease forms. She and her four friends are interested in renting some of the rooms. Isn't that lovely?" Ms. Hubbard asked, trying to keep a pleasant tone.

Aster halted dead in his movements. How? How could this get _any _worse? Why, after a night like last night, did the world _always _have to be turned on its head?! Was this Karmic retribution for something he forgot about? He ground his teeth, wondering how Ms. Hubbard could allow those women into the boardinghouse before he allowed his logical brain to kick in for a moment. She needed the money, she needed the rooms filled and even though those Haremen were constant thorns in his side she wasn't going to turn down a prospective renter just because she knew they annoyed him. That and Haremen were generally good renters. They paid their rent on time, they were fairly clean and they made sure to take great care of their rooms to avoid having to hand over their deposit.

In all…Aster couldn't blame her for renting out to them, but he also had a sneaking suspicion that it was a way for Angelique to try to coax him into her proposition even though he had told her Community member a flat no.

"Great." Aster muttered angrily, opening the front door and hanging the truck's keys on the key holder on the wall. "What do ya need ta talk about it fer the festival?"

"Well I haven't seen you at work for awhile, nor have you been picking up your phone." Hog grumbled as he followed Aster through the entry and into the kitchen. "So I decided to drop by here and see if you were around, only for you to come driving up just now. What's in the bag?"

"Mah googies." Aster replied and ignored Hog's sniggering whenever he heard Aster call his eggs 'googies'. He sat the bag by the back door and was ever careful of its fragile contents. "Ah've been a bit busy with Easter preparations. It's a bi—"

Hog snorted out a quick laugh. "That's not the _only_ thing you've been busy doing. Bunny, man, I can _smell_ him on ya."

Aster's back straightened and he bristled. He whipped around and growled towards Hog who immediately threw his hands up into the air and pacified Aster by doing that movement, but only slightly.

"Easy, Bunny." Hog stated as Aster's gaze went to him with a dangerous look to them. "I'm not interested in your flitting little cold nip. I'm just sayin' getting yourself a little something on the side isn't a bad thing, but don't lose track of what you're supposed to be doing is all. You've been spending a lot of time with him and I'm personally worried that you might be shirking some of your work. I don't want you popping anymore of that god-awful six arm chocolate."

Aster narrowed his eyes to Hog and bared his teeth. _Ya better damn well __**not **__be lookin' at mah Jack_, he threatened internally—surprising even himself with that possessive thought before he shook it off and replied with, "Ah've been doin' this a hell of a lot longer than yerself, _mate_. Ah'd watch what Ah said ta someone like me. Also _why_ do ya think Ah have a bag of mah googies with me? Ah spent all last night…well, most of last night, painting that entire bag."

Hog nodded. "Alright, I'm just trying to help. I know we don't exactly see eye to eye, but I _do_ like you at least a little bit—but sending Tooth after me a month ago was cruel."

Aster smirked before he sucked in a sharp breath and shook his head. He motioned for Hog to sit down at the kitchen table and then asked if he wanted anything to drink before Aster set away to making coffee and tea—the leaves of which he'd grown in his Warren. He sat a coffee cup in front of Hog filled with the hot beverage before he sank into his chair with his own mug of hot tea and immediately took a hearty sip of it, having added in some Chamomile to ease his nerves and help him relax so he could focus on what Hog was about to discuss and then probably show him.

They sat there for three hours discussing the entire event, and by the time Hog had to go they still had tons of small details to work out. So far they had a run around in the park for the kids followed by a miniature festival where food, flowers and games related to finding more eggs—not _his_ eggs but the plastic counterparts that parents sometimes added around the house—for the kids that would have small prize to them or even a lottery ticket to win a few big prizes as well.

Aster stood from the kitchen table and washed out the mugs, turning on his heel and rubbing his face morbidly as he realized he would be spending even _less_ time at the boardinghouse than he did already. He picked up his bag of discarded eggs by the door and stepped outside, declining the offer for food from Ms. Hubbard and instead going to his Warren where he let the eggs out and hunkered down under a tree to set away to painting—letting himself get engrossed into the act to take his mind off his worries.

* * *

Poor Bunny, can't catch a break haha.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19: Jack Hath Fury

It was not three days before finally nearing Easter, at last. Aster had finished today's load of work and had managed to chauffeur Jack away from the boardinghouse tonight by meeting him at Tooth's place before they took off to the concert they were playing tonight—and Aster was going to watch, at last. The bad news was, it meant getting into a van…which North was driving. Aster spent the four hour drive with his fingernails dug into the armrests, even though Jack was trying every way possible to get him to relax.

Aster bailed from the van soon as North parked it and he took in shuddering breaths of air, shaking his head when Jack asked if he needed anything besides oxygen. Aster finally found his feet after five minutes of just sucking in breaths and busied himself with helping where he could as a way to bide the time until the show started. He also grabbed up a pair of earplugs from Tooth when she handed them to him, the ones designed for the few Haremen that worked the area as security guards. He tucked them into his sensitive ears and awaited for the noise to begin.

He peeked his head around the edge of the stage, gazing at the bowl-like concert hall and marveling at all the faces in the crowd followed by the flashing LED lights, glow sticks and various other assorted materials that the owners of the concert hall had sold. He shook his head, staring at how _full_ the place was and wondering how Antarctic Blizzard was _that_ popular. He turned his head when he felt a cold hand slip into his and Jack peeked around the corner as well, smiling broadly when someone in the front row spotted him. He waved to the crowd and Aster winced at the blood curdling scream that sounded out along with a 'I love you Jack Frost!'.

"Ya hear that, mate, she _loves_ ya." Aster teased, laughing when Jack rolled his eyes and grinned.

"Come on, we're not on yet and I want to lounge in the back." Jack tugged on his hand and he followed, sitting in the back with Jack planted firmly in his lap—he swore he could never get the man _out_ of his lap—for a good hour before Jack sighed. He turned in Aster's lap and gave him a quick kiss before he stood, extracting himself from Aster's lap with a rolling of his eyes. "Time to go do the show. Are you going to watch?"

"Ah'll be out there." Aster replied, giving his forehead a light peck as he swung by him to head out into the packed seating area.

He ducked off to grab a drink and soon leaned on his forearms against one of the many handrails between two seating sections. He took a swig of the beer he had indulged in and bought for about three times its normal price and nearly spat it out when he watched Jack strut out onto the stage—hamming it up in such a way that made Aster _almost_ shower the people sitting in front of him in mediocre beer. He snickered after swallowing the gulp and chuckled to the side, looking up just in time to see Jack cover his eyes and then wave excitedly towards him before the others walked out and they started their piece.

Aster straightened when the chorus began, quickly followed by him wincing as the volume of the concert smacked into his ears—seeming to pierce through the earplugs. He shook his head, recovering and leaning back onto the railing to watch Jack in one of his _many_ elements. Aster had to admit, Jack _knew_ how to hype a crowd up, _knew_ how to perform and he had being a front man _down_ to a science. After only the first song Aster found himself unable to take his gaze away from the scene in front of him as Jack and the others continued on with the next bit after a small lull for Jack to rearrange a few bits on his soundboard. Aster winced again when the sound blasted through his eardrums, followed quickly by those blood curdling screams of the fans.

He took another sip of the beer again and nearly spat it out again when Jack stripped off his shirt for the next song, causing the crowd to—and this is putting it easy—flip their shit. Screams sounded out, Jack moved his arms accordingly to the song, saying something about Girls and Boys, while making the crowd scream and jump in joy. When the song ended Aster shook his head, chuckling when the next song started and everyone around him began to jump up and down, bouncing along with the beat of the song.

He then watched as Jack walked out along the circular platform that allowed him to intermingle with the crowd, people cheering and he even leaned down to pull a few from the crowd to get them to follow along with the dance he was doing. Aster snorted out a laugh when, as the moment passed and Jack helped the women down, one of them tugged him into a hug before he pried himself free and went on as if nothing had happened.

He ground his teeth briefly, hating that someone had done that to Jack before he shook that off and chalked it up to going with the territory. Aster finished the beer and chucked the container into the trash bin nearest him, glancing up in time to see Jack rearranging for the next song.

It was slower, easier on Aster's ears and was packed full of sultry moves from Jack that had him acting like a siren on the stage for the crowd. Aster, however, spent more time staring at Jack's body and remembering _exactly_ how each bit of it had felt under his paws. It was literally all chilled, toned and had an air of strength to it that rivaled Aster's own body. He found himself suddenly glad that he had anxiety around people, because the things he'd have done to Jack in that moment would've made the entire stadium's cheeks blush. He shook his head, clearing those thoughts from it and turning his gaze back to Jack. He swallowed nervously, realizing just how deep of a hole he had dug himself into.

That song ended, followed by another upbeat one that was accompanied by Jack using his own flare to make the entire stadium be showered in snow for a brief moment. Aster glared at him, watching as Jack's eyes went to him. He raised his middle finger to Jack whose grin broadened before he formed a small flake on his hand, swirled it around that appendage with a graceful air and shouted : "I love her anyway!"

With that Jack sent that small little flake out and Aster narrowed his eyes when it bee lined for him on a gorgeously arching on a gust of wind and then nipped into his nose. He wriggled the affronted target, once again flipping Jack off and smirking suddenly from a bout of fun that passed in a short tingle. He straightened as the concert continued, moving from his spot just to mess with Jack. The song changed yet again and in the fleeting moments that Jack had his back to the crowd to change the background beats from his soundboard Aster and shuffled his way through the crowd to the edge of the stage, off to the far right.

Pitch's head turned towards him and he smirked. Aster frowned when Pitch stepped up to Jack and leaned towards him. Jack's eyes shot to where Aster stood and he realized that he immediately knew he had signed himself up for something that would most likely turn out to be ridiculous. Jack turned his smiling face back to Pitch, nodding his head and then going forward towards the crowd at his feet and tugging a few people up onto the stage after setting the soundboard up for a different song. Aster sighed the second he saw Jack head for him and rolled his eyes when Jack beckoned with his hand. Aster gripped it, climbing up onto the stage and doing his best to ignore the panic that gripped his chest.

The second he reached Pitch he growled at him, "Ya just _had_ ta give 'im an idea, didn't ya?"

"Anything to torture you, Rabbit." Pitch shot back with an evil grin.

Aster glared at him and then felt Tooth sidle up next to him, strumming out the chords and laughing. "Do you remember how to even dance."

"'Course Ah do!" Aster yelled out over the music. "Ah just don't do it."

"Well you're about too, c'mon Bunny!" Jack leaned forward, gripped his hand and tugged him forward.

Aster ignored the people beginning to get excited in front of him and crossed his arms irritably over his chest when Jack began bouncing around on the stage again, apparently doing some cover of another band's song. Jack hit the end of the line, farthest from Aster, and began to do a little dance with each individual, singing something about Jagger. Each person on stage seemed ecstatic to be up on the stage and more than willing to mimic Jack's moves.

It was here that Aster got an idea that bordered on ingenious. When Jack reached him he watched as Jack did whatever the hell shimmy Jack had just done and rolled his eyes, gripping Jack's hand and swinging him outwards before yanking him back in before proceeding to lead him in a miniature version of a swing dance, a particular dance that he had _liked_ when it had been around due to the constant movement and fluid moves that just seemed to melt together into each other seamlessly, and then walked off the stage after leaving Jack with a stunned look on his face before he felt Jack's chilled hand on his shoulder yanking him back out onto the stage.

Aster ducked out from under that hand and stalked back for the edge, waving for Jack to shove on with the damn show so that he could act as if that had _never_ happened. He leaned on the wall next to the stage and chuckled when Jack shook his head, laughing and then saying:

"Who'd have thunk it, a Hareman can swing dance." The crowd cheering, whooped and a few whistles sounded out. "Alright, everyone, last song of the night!"

The crowd let Jack know that was exactly what they _didn't_ want to hear, but settled into another noisy song before Jack finally bowed and Aster pushed from his spot on the wall, watching as Jack and the band headed to where he was—none of them removing their instruments and Jack only muting his microphone to turn to Aster.

"I didn't know you could dance!" He shouted excitedly.

"Jack, encore first, question Bunny's oddities later." North turned Jack from facing Aster and shuffled him back out onto the stage where the crowd once again let out that damn blood curdling scream.

Aster chuckled when the screaming died down, except it never really died down, and Jack set about to do another two songs—both were apparently favorites off of two separate CDs that had been done by the previous singer. He vaguely remembered the songs, having taken North up as an acting security guard briefly when he needed some extra cash, and he had to be honest Jack did them _much_ better than Atlas had. He believed it had to do with the fact that Jack was genuine in his act, compared to Atlas who had been using his charming magic to get people to love the songs.

Finally Jack gave the final bow—the literal final bow, and walked off the stage. Aster then helped put things away while they went off to sign autographs, take pictures and then they came around to gather him back up when they had finished that. It took close to six hours, nearing three in the morning by that point. Aster offered to drive when North looked exhausted, along with Tooth, Pitch and Jack. He hefted himself into the van's driver's seat and settled in for the drive back. His eyes kept checking the rearview mirror, smiling when he saw Tooth asleep and leaning into North's side. North was tilted against the side of the van with his head on a pillow, lightly snoring with his arm around Tooth. Pitch was flat on his back with his knees propped up, earphones in and typing furiously away at something on his phone.

Aster then turned his gaze to Jack who yawned. "Ya should sleep while ya can. Yer going ta have ta be up at eight ya know."

Jack nodded with a sigh. "There are things I sometimes hate about doing this." He shrugged, turning to Aster and smirking. "So…swing dance?"

"Ah _knew_ ya were goin' ta bring that up." Aster laughed lightly, adjusting the way he sat in the chair and shrugging. "It was fun, what more can Ah say. The music held this…happy? beat ta it, the energy was always good and Ah happened ta like how each movement slid into the next seamlessly if ya did it right." He smiled fondly. "It…it was a good distraction fer awhile."

Jack laughed lightly, reaching his hand over and giving Aster's a squeeze. He kept his eyes on the road, but clasped that hand in his own and gave it a return squeeze. As the drive lingered on Aster felt Jack's hand lose some of its strength and with a gentle push he managed to get Jack to fall asleep in as comfortable of a position as one could get when it came to sleeping in a van with the seat propped up. Aster sat in the silence, having heard Pitch's phone finally click off and chanced a glance to see that even the Boogeyman had fallen asleep.

He relished in the silence, his ears still ringing from the concert even though he had the earplugs in them the entire time. He heard movements next to him and saw Jack stretch briefly and yawn lightly before he sat up and rubbed his eyes. Aster watched as Jack blinked them and then leaned his right elbow on the edge of the armrest next to his window, gazing out the window.

"I've been thinking about Mating Season." Jack said lightly as they finally neared Burgess.

Aster's mood dipped. "Have ya now?" He glanced over to Jack who he had _sworn_ was sleeping moments ago. "What…what've ya been thinkin' about?"

Jack stretched and yawned again, turning and facing him. "I just…I want you to know I'm here if you need it, crazy from hormones or not. I love you Aster, crazy from hormones, temperamental, strong, your dry personality, what have you. I love every aspect of you and I especially love how it all wraps itself up to make you."

Aster felt the blush climb up from his collar and averted his gaze, murmuring a: "Ah love ya too, Jack."

Jack snickered, choosing that moment to ruin it. "You're blushing!"

"Of course Ah am!" Aster growled, taking a right and pulling the van up next to the boardinghouse. He frowned when he realized _everyone _was home. "Well…this is where Ah get off. North! North! Wake up."

Aster soon climbed from the van and said his farewell to North, Tooth and Pitch. Jack, however, had chosen to stick around for a few more minutes. Aster led him into the boardinghouse and into the kitchen where he offered him a glass of water, which he took him up on.

"Mate, yer pretty good at being a front man. Ah had a hard time keepin' mah eyes off ya." Aster stated, leaning back onto the edge of the counter while taking a heady drink of water himself from his glass. "Not ta mention how good ya are at gettin' the crowd riled up, and singing? Ah didn't think yer baritone voice could hit notes that high."

Jack shrugged. "Just like how you have your secrets, Mr. I Can Swing Dance, I have mine." Jack set the glass of water down a smirked. "So, which bit did you like the most."

"That sultry number had me thinkin' of a number of things Ah coulda done ta ya that would've made that entire crowd blush." Aster admitted, waggling his eyebrows at Jack and making him chuckle. Aster lifted his arms when Jack stepped forward, pulling him into his chest and lowering his head to meet his eyes. "But Ah had ta _really_ reel mahself in when that sheila grabbed ya up fer a hug."

Jack pouted. "What, get a little jealous?"

"Mmhmm." Aster hummed with a quick grin before leaning forward and brushing his lips against Jack's, leaning back when Jack lurched forward, wrapping his arms around Aster's neck and pulling himself upwards.

Aster's hands slid along Jack's lean back, trailing over the pert cheeks of his ass before he encompassed each cheek with his hands and gave them a squeeze. Jack moaned at that, deepening the kiss and making Aster lean forward briefly to snake his hands further to Jack's thighs where he looped them under and then hauled Jack up against him. Relishing in the fact that Jack's legs automatically looped around his waist—never once breaking the kiss, even when it did turn clumsy.

He groaned when Jack applied some pressure against his back with his heels, followed by Jack grinding his hips against his sensually. Aster broke the kiss to suck in a sharp breath, blood beginning to pool downward at an accelerated rate that had him beginning to think of ways to make Jack scream before a throat clearing made them both jump.

Aster's head hung back as Jack began to extract himself from his arms, looking as if he had just been caught heading to third base…which he _had_ if he'd have kept that up. Aster sucked in an irritated breath before he blew it out, wincing when the kitchen light was turned on and freezing when Angelique stood there with that knowing smirk on her face.

"So, Bunny, I'll take the invitation of spending Mating Season with us is a 'no'?" She asked—then the temperature dropped suddenly.

"What?" Jack asked, seeming to bristle right in front of Aster. He had a fleeting moment to realize that if Jack had fur, then his hackles would've been standing on end. "She offered…you would have slept with…with…_this _floozy?!"

Angelique had the nerve to look affronted as Jack stomped past her. Aster sent a glare towards her as he chased off after Jack.

"Jack!" He gripped Jack's arm, barely catching him before he shot up into the air with his staff having appeared at some point between the kitchen and where he stood now in the front yard. "Mate, Ah was never going ta accept her offer. Hell Ah don't even want _ya_ there fer it—Ah'd rather just risk Sandy's…" Aster froze when he realized what he had just uttered; watching as Jack's face sank sadly before Aster threw his hands out between them and panicked, realizing he'd thoroughly stuck his foot in his mouth. "No, wait—Ah mean—Jack listen Ah…uh…crickey _why_ is it so hard ta _talk_ ta ya bout this _without_ hurtin' yer feelings?!"

"I don't know, _Bunny_, but maybe you should figure it out first before you talk to me again." Jack stated, twirling the staff in his hand and smacking the edge against Aster's forearm before he shot off, dust and leaves trailing after him before he disappeared.

Aster's chest clenched painfully as he felt the finality that simple sentence had to it. Jack, who didn't even look backwards at him, flew off and left him behind without giving him the chance to wedge his own foot from his mouth. Aster heaved a heavy breath. He lifted his hand and tugged angrily at an ear before he shook his head in disbelief about what had just happened. He sighed, tucking his hands in his pockets, ears drooping low before he kicked a shoe off and tapped his foot on the ground twice to summon a tunnel to the Warren.

Until he could figure out how to fix whatever mess he had just made with Jack he had work to distract himself with, and he had always been good at burying himself in work when something bothered him.


	20. Chapter 20

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Rise of the Guardians, yadda, yadda, yadda...

Reviews at bottom because I need room.

**A/N** (**please read**): I have **_no_**** idea** what the** 7K+ people** want from this story (you guys had a week to let me know D: and I gave you 2 Chapters to bribe it from you!). So that means I'm running with my initial goal of ending by Chap 22 or Chap 23. Depending on reviews depends on if I do other plan of mine too in regards to this story...I cant think straight again, too sick.

Also guys/girls, when an author gives you the OK to give your 2 cents,_don't_ be afraid to speak up please (especially not with me lol)

Uh...for those of you who might want a giggle, **Der Humpkin 2: Bunny's Revenge** is out (never typing another story out on my phone again and Shanatic stahp).

Enjoy this layover chapter until I'm done being sick again.(makes NyQuil Benedryl cocktail, shoots it back, throws smoke bomb and drags self upstairs to fight off _another_ cold).

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Chapter 20: Night Before Easter

He still had hope that he could fix whatever he'd messed up between Jack and him, but he couldn't quite seem to find the right words—nor could he find the right order to put them in. He leaned back in the chair of the kitchen, tossing his pencil onto the small piece of paper in front of him and letting his head fall back in defeat. His mind was a little muddled from the events of the past few days and it didn't help much that it was getting warmer already and making it hard for him to think straight.

What had he been _thinking_? He'd royally fucked up. Jack hadn't spoken a word to him for two, soon to be three, days now and Aster was fairly sure he wasn't going to hear from Jack ever again.

His ear twitched when he heard the scuffing of shoes on the kitchen's linoleum flooring and Aster lifted his head to glare at the person who walked into the room. Roses always seemed to permeate the area when she walked into a room, a pleasant smell, which didn't fit her personality at all. Aster narrowed his eyes on Angelique, glad to see the bag near her feet along with her other Community members already heading out the front door carrying a few of their belongings as well. Aster crossed his arms, glaring towards her.

"Bunny, this is your last chance to accept m—"

Aster cut her off, flipping her the bird and then replying with, "Rack off ya bloody cunt. Ah'd be perfectly content ta never see ya or yer bloody Community again."

Angelique narrowed her eyes, snorting out in distaste before she lifted that nose of hers and turned. "Good luck during Mating Season."

"Ah'll be fine, unlike yerself." Aster muttered disgustedly…then doubt encased his thoughts. He didn't actually know if he was going to be fine or not, didn't know if Jack was still willing to spend Mating Season with him.

Aster shuddered briefly as another heated stroke of air brushed against him with that thought, but he was distracted from it as he heard the car doors slam outside. His ears sat perked far forward on the crown of his head as he heard the car's ignition. His ears then drooped backwards shortly after hearing the car back from the driveway. He crossed his arms again and slumped forward, placing his forehead on his forearms in defeat. He was up the river without a paddle—hell he was on a makeshift _raft_ as it was that was barely clinging together on tumultuous waters. He was _lost_ and he didn't know how to find a start to finding his way back.

His ears swiveled forward when he heard the light scuffing of shoes again and he growled menacingly as he lifted his head, halting when none other than one of Angelique's Community members stood in the kitchen's doorframe. Aster's ears twitched back and forth, unsure what to make of the white—scarred—Community member in front of him. She was meek, looked shy but didn't make him feel as irritated as Angelique did, especially since she'd barely said more than two words to him since he'd seen her. Angelique usually cut her off when she looked about ready to say something. Aster decided to give the silent Harewoman a chance the second she skipped mentioning anything about Mating Season as she pointed a bell-sleeve covered arm and hand to the seat next to Aster.

"Can…can I join you?" She asked, her voice barely above a whisper and her eyes holding unshed tears.

Aster warily glanced at her, unsure if she was up to anything or not. "…It's still a no ta the invitation, but sure. Ya want some tea?"

"With honey please—and hot. I could never stand iced tea." She told him, her mood seeming to pick up a little and she stepped into the kitchen to take a seat. "I'm Mimi, by the way. I don't know if you _care_ necessarily, but…well…I wanted to ask you a few questions and try to help."

"Why?" Aster asked, grabbing the honey and turning halfway. He once again realized how warm it was, but he shook it off and glanced to Mimi. "Let me know when Ah've put enough in."

A moment of silence sat between them before Mimi's small voice broke out. "That's good, thank you Bunny."

He nodded, placing the honey back in the cupboard and picking up their mugs of tea, setting one in front of Mimi before he took his old spot. "Now, what trouble do ya want ta cause me now?"

Mimi's face blushed briefly from guilt and she took a sip, shivering in delight from the taste. "I have _never_ had tea that tastes like this before!"

Aster raised a brow. "It's a special leaf, nearly extinct. Hard ta get a hold of so ya best enjoy it. Ah only make it during special occasions…or when Ah'm just havin' one of those bloody nights."

"It's in the place you go to…isn't it? That hole in the ground? You have it there don't you?" She asked.

Aster nodded. "Anyways, what do ya need ta ask me?"

Mimi took another healthy gulp and smiled like a child who had just had their first bite of one of his chocolates. "I wanted to ask you how you've been surviving without a Community." She then set away to letting her delicate fingers spin the mug slowly in circles in front of her, her gaze glazed over. "I'm…I'm tired of always being the one abused. Angelique had told me that wasn't going to be the case when I joined her Community, but it turned out that way anyways." Mimi lifted a hand and pointed to her raggedly edged ears. "These were from my _last_ Community—he's in jail might I add and I bailed from that Community as soon as I could, no plans on going back." She cleared her throat. "I decided to give Angelique's Community one last chance…but the way she's treating me…it's the way it always starts. That and what she did to you is inexcusable. I'm sorry I didn't do anything to stop her. I _should_ have."

Aster glanced to Mimi, feeling sympathy for her instead of his wary irritation with what her Community had done to him. However he saw that glimmer of self-worth in her eyes that was accompanied by a glimmer of hope. Seeing that he decided that maybe, just maybe, she wasn't bad.

"Well…it isn't easy, that much Ah can tell ya. Ah guess the first start ta being a lone Hareman is ta establish a good group of friends. Ms. Hubbard, for instance, is on mah personal emergency call list if somethin' happens along with—"

"Jack?" Mimi asked, a light smile lifting her lips.

Aster rubbed his neck and nodded. "How'd ya-?"

"You're very loud on the phone." She chuckled and Aster frowned towards her. He stood up and grabbed the kettle with the remaining tea, topping her mug off and doing the same to his. "Do…do you think Ms. Hubbard might…?"

"Ah have no doubt she'd be more than willing ta do that fer ya. Ah'll even assist if ya like—but Ah'm not doing the Community thing." Aster added, raising a brow while pitting a look of outright certainty towards her. "Ah'll sign in fer the friend position, but Ah'm _not_ doing a Community."

Mimi chuckled, taking another sip of tea. "Thanks…it means a lot to me." Then silence fell between them again and Aster glanced to see her cheeks beginning to flush. "I wanted to also ask about Hog…you know your friend who you work with?"

Aster threw his head back and laughed. "Oi, sheila, ya got'ta be kiddin' me. Ya _like_ 'im?"

Mimi's face turned a bright red in a blush before she sputtered in embarrassment. "Yes I _like_ him! He's super sweet…he gave me a rock." Mimi snorted out a sharp laugh. "I had no idea why he gave it to me at first, but then he kept doing it and I started to realize…he was giving me _his_ version of a flower—though why he didn't just give me a flower I'll never know."

"Because he knows Ah'll throttle him if he does it." Aster replied, wincing when Mimi lightly swatted his shoulder. "What?! This isn't the first time he's shown an interest in someone, it's just last time he nearly destroyed an entire crop of daisies tryin' ta chase her down and win her intentions." Aster glanced over to Mimi, clearing his throat when he realized what he'd just said and frowned. "Sorry…Ah need a filter. That was…that was rude. Ah'm sorry."

Mimi chuckled. "It's fine. He told me you two were friends, but it's strained." She then leaned onto her forearms, her hands cupped around the mug as she looked to him. "So…what've you got so far with Jack?"

Aster sighed, ignoring the warmth around him and pushing the paper towards Mimi with an accompanied rolling of his eyes. Mimi picked up the sheet of paper and snickered.

"I don't think a rough sketch of Jack smiling is good enough." Her voice held an amused tone. "How about we start with the beginning?"

Aster glanced to Mimi, toying with his own mug before he nodded. "Ah…Ah didn't even like the bloke when Ah first met 'im. He came off as a right arse, and he'd done the same thing ta me once before during the blizzard of '68. He and his little Frost Sprite friends had made sure that entire Easter was nothing but snow and blizzards—and _nobody_ told me why so Ah was left having ta scavenge what Ah could of after that entire debacle."

Mimi nodded, motioning for him to continue. He did.

"Then the bastard went and got all cozy with mah best mates—who haven't spoken ta me either might Ah add—and Ah feel like everyone is bloody well against me. Ah mean…Ah_ know_ Ah should have listened to them when it came ta talkin' ta Jack about everything that's botherin' me, but there's still that doubt that he'd even understand. He _says_ its natural, but he doesn't understand just how dangerous it _could_ be fer him. Ah'm…Ah'm not a bloody Hareman." He glanced over to Mimi to see her tilted her head in curiosity. "Ah'm something else, something that's strong and Ah could actually hurt 'im…and Ah _don't_ want ta hurt 'im…" Aster glanced away, feeling tears rim his eyes as his voice faltered. "Ah love the bloke too much ta hurt 'im. Hell, Ah doubt Ah coulda decked the blighter after he called me a Kangaroo that first time Ah met him."

Mimi sighed, reaching a hand over and grasping Aster's. He surprised even himself when he returned that touch, needing _some_ kind of caring physical touch at the moment—something Jack had well since spoiled him with of late.

"Have you told Jack just what he's signed up for?" Mimi asked, her voice gentle.

Aster shook his head, laughing sadly. "Ah was actually hopin' North would tell Jack all about it. He _was_ the last partner Ah took during that time before Ah outright turned to Sandy's sand—in heavy doses might Ah add. Ah turned back ta Sandy's sand after Ah nearly put North in the hospital. He _claimed_ he was a'right, but the fact that his hip was out of its joint and his back was bruised for what felt like a year ta me doesn't exactly sit well with me when it comes ta Jack. North…North at least he's slightly bigger than me and can actually grapple with me. Jack? Ah fear that Jack'll fail and Ah'll hurt 'im."

Mimi's eyes widened. "You…you use the Sandman's _sand_ to sleep through Mating Season?"

Aster raised a brow. "Out of everything Ah just said _that's_ the bit yer focusin' on?"

Mimi grinned sheepishly. "Well…I mean it's the _Sandman_'s sand. Not exactly an easy material to get one's hands on."

Aster nodded, carrying on. "Last year Ah almost didn't wake up after usin' it." Aster murmured, taking a tentative sip of the tea as his hand shook. "It…it was so peaceful. Mah family and friends were there, hell my entire _species_ was there and Ah didn't want ta leave…Ah'd have been perfectly happy stayin' there fer the rest of mah life. It was so pleasant…so peaceful."

Mimi's head tilted and she glanced to Aster. She raised a brow, looked him up and down, then surprised him by asking: "You really aren't a Hareman…are you?"

Aster shook his head. "Never was, Ah only masquerade as one."

Mimi got an inquisitive look about her. "Are you going to tell me what you are? I mean obviously you're something unique—your magic is so powerful that you can summon up tunnels to go places."

Aster shook his head. "Ah'm not going ta say, especially since Ah'm not even sure if Ah will survive much longer."

Mimi's back straightened and she looked at him with wide, worry filled, eyes. "By which you mean…?"

Aster glanced at his mug, shrugging. "If things don't work out with Jack Ah'm turning ta the sand again fer Matin' Season…and if it's anything like last time Ah don't think Ah'll be coming back." Aster's hand went to his chest, his hand clenching his shirt and bunching the material as he gripping it tightly. "It's…it's too painful ta go through heartbreak again and Ah have a feelin' Jack's about done with me. Ah…Ah can't _lose_ him _and_ mah friends. Ah already lost mah family, mah home world…the Doe Ah had originally planned on Matin' with…Not ta mention Ah felt like Ah've been stabbed in the back by what felt like mah Uncle as he fell ta an overshadowing. There's just too much and Ah've been alive long enough ta feel a'right about finally letting go is all."

Mimi wiped at her eye with her sleeve as a tear crested and began to fall. "But…you're so _nice_! How…how could you say things like this?"

Aster chuckled, actually chuckled as if nothing was the matter. "Ah'm _old_, Mimi. Ah'm _old_, just lost mah chance at a dream Ah'm assumin' and Ah'm gettin' nowhere fast these days. The only reason Ah pushed on this long is due ta the hope Ah had…and its dwindling. Jack had acted as a kindle, but without 'im mah fire's dyin'."

Mimi wiped her eyes again. "But…you'll _talk_ to him…right? Tell Jack everything?"

Aster shrugged, the heat around him telling him he didn't have much time when it came to telling Jack anything. "Ah'll try another three times—but if he won't even speak ta me then Ah have no choice but ta turn ta the sand."

* * *

To **Shanatic**: Well he has such giant feet...how can he _not_ have his foot in his mouth?! I have to admit I might have a Bunny foot fetish...oh god no Imagination, corner...now (grabs Shanatic's ear) NOPE other corner, don't _even _think about it. You two are separated. Also in this story it's right along his S.A.P status haha XD

To **PandaAttack2109**: When I see the 'make nice nice' bit of your review it puts my head to Futurama and the Snu snu bit...and then I just start laughing uncontrollably. Anyways, they'll get around to sorting themselves out...course I don't guarantee a happy ending still ;)

To **AvelynnLoverxx**: (finger snaps) Jacky got _pist_.

To **Tigermike83**: Thanks for your easy to decipher review pertaining to the question I posted. PM me if you're curious, but otherwise this story is ending at 22 or 23 :)

To **Ultravioletx**: Yessss Jack, pitch a fit :)

To **yey**: Yea...Aster is a bit of an overprotective, scared of everything Jack-related, screw up - ain't he? Also to Chapter 18's review: I have actually been locked out of my $800 a month room I was renting just _because_ my shit roommate wanted to screw her boyfriend. I have a multitude of stories from just 2 roommates lol - within a year...

To **The Good Witch of Babble**: I dunno, I consider it kinda bad. They were about to doink again and Angelique caught them and ruined the entire wonderful night. As for the rest of your review...I don't know. I've been banging my head against the wall all vacation debating what I want to happen before I finally just threw my hands up in the air and found a good way to just push all of it to the side for the time being - even if the story _is_ ending in about 2 Chapters. However I did strike genius this weekend with finding a way to work in mpreg for Intricate Kingdoms in a legit way...so I got that going for me (4am revelations accompanied by a cacophony of snores).

To **Guest** (**Orchid**): I keep bringing her back because I like seeing you people flip tables...I gotta be honest.

To **greyember13**: Thank you for answering my question (you and Tiger were my 1 and 2, 3rd is Shanatic - but she has me on BBM and pesters me through there a lot). I'm glad you liked it ^_^

To **Queenofcrack97**: You no likey the drama? That was the big climax bit though! It's all downhill from here.

To **Black**-**Luna**: It's not that interesting. It's ending in 2-3 Chapters because I don't know what to do with it. You might like Intricate Kingdoms though if you haven't check that out yet :) It's picking up with the fun bits soon :)

Finally to **ShaDow** **Empire**: She's rather thick and didn't like being shunned, and making one last appearance as you saw above ;D


	21. Chapter 21

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Rise of the Guardians, yadda, yadda, yadda...

To **GissieGirl**: First off, why hello new name (yes I have that small of a fan base where I know new names lol). I'm glad you like my AU stories (I think that's what they're called?), but as it stands this story _is_ ending at Chapter 23...er I think that's where I'm cutting it. I decided over vacation that the double digit count was beginning to scare me and so had the lack of responses to my question lol. Don't fret too much though, Aster's no longer _Waiting __on a Dream_ and can move forward now (_Hint Hint_).

To **AvelynnLoverxX**: I thought about doing that, but then I figure Aster stuck himself in a deep enough hole lol.

To **ShaDow** **Empire**: You're welcome ^_^.

To **Aroski156**: I might've been a little hurt by the lack of responses to my question, but it helped channel some of Bunny's age and the imminent depression that goes along with having to bare those years. I mean think about it, he's _old_ and he's been through _a lot_. There's gotta be a tipping point somewhere. But anyways, I love torturing Bunny more when it comes to cock-blocking him XD Doing this angsty stuff bugs me, I'm supposed to be having fun writing not being depressed.

To **Shanatic**: Okay fine but the foot story isn't turning out to be anything but fluffy goodness and the entire time I'll mess with my rabbit's feet while I do it because my rabbit's an asshole and he's got it too easy anyways.

To **LadyLombax**: ...I broke you...I'm sorry haha. I want to tell you to go hug something but you live in Australia and years on the internet has informed me Australia is not a very friendly place for animal related hugs haha. Also I **think** you're one of the first Australian's that've left a review, so thanks for that and feel free to chew me out over Aster's horrible accent.

To **Ultravioletlex**: Haha I'm sorry XD Good golly Ms. Molly you guys take this stuffs to the heart don't ya?

To **MsWharton**: I have others plans for troubles relating to Jack and Bunny...but later. Ending this story at 23, going to drawing board and throwing ideas at it (_hint_ _hint_).

To **Good Witch of Babble**: I PMed you last night when I could hear colors about my idea but I kept it nice and vague...I think. I can't remember I was cracked up on a multitude of things. As for the hole thing, to me that's kinda rapey which is why I never did it lol. I did however think of Pitch being the one to spur Aster to talk to Jack...then I got hopped up on cold meds and cracked up when I thought of the below.

To **yey**: Firstly the apartment: Ha yea you've got no idea. I've got some chick in Texas that still owes me $400 rent. To your other bits - next story (_hint_ _hint_). I've got a bleeding heart for Aster getting a family as well. He needs that kind of a break lol.

To **Queenofcrack97**: Whacked ya with the feels stick, didn't I? :D

Finally to **Night-Fury1**: Mimi's going to help...later...(_hint_ _hint_).

**A/N**: This Chapter took _so _long to fix, but now I'm actually really happy with it. Here, stop being depressed now ;) Didn't you miss my updates?! I gotta go do stuffs around the house...mainly bathe the dog and the cat and then try to get some exercise in.

I think it's been 24 hours since I last posted...Don't care, Enjoy.

* * *

Chapter 21: To Shoehorn a Talk

Aster had spent the night before Easter telling Mimi everything that had happened between Jack and him, and made sure she understood how much of an arse he had made of himself along with her managing to understand _why_ he was so cautious of everything Jack-related—_after_ he had shown her some of his inner most turmoil. They'd stayed there until well into the morning, Aster barely making it from the boardinghouse in time to start herding the eggs throughout the world. He did so in his Pooka shape soon as he hit the relative safety of his Warren, bounding quickly through each country and delivering his googies after expelling a quick bit of magic for a cloning spell for each load of chocolate he delivered. By the time he reached home, his duties as the Easter Bunny and herald of Spring—not to mention establishing the hope of a new beginning—was done and he was feeling exhausted.

As he stepped through the entry of the festival that Hog had thankfully volunteered to arrange, especially since he knew Aster was busy with Easter and personal issues. Aster stepped out onto the festival as he rubbed his face and yawned. He'd pulled an all-nighter, and it _wasn't_ because of a rush to finish Easter. Instead it was him discussing the things he'd apologize to Jack for and then he _hoped_ Jack would forgive him. He'd also gotten a hell of a scolding from Mimi from making so many mistakes within such a short amount of time—at least until she read between the lines and Aster realized the sheila was smarter than she appeared. It hadn't taken her long to figure out _what_ he actually was—especially since she had worked as a registrar for the Government. She, unlike the rest of the lot, had actually _done_ research on the so named 'extinct' species and she'd always had a hunch a few of them might still be wandering around. Granted she didn't know the _name_ of his species, but she sure as hell knew his kind was on the 'extinct' list.

Aster had barely escaped her prying questions that morning, but before he escaped her she had told him she'd be more than willing to help if he ever chose to stop hiding. At least he knew that if he ever actually chose to emerge, let alone if he survived past this nightmarish affair, then he'd have Mimi there to help him through the process of unmitigated attention that he didn't want. The only rectifying thing about the whole situation was that Mimi apparently worked _deep_ within the Government's system to the point where she could actually have someone serve jail time for pressing him too much about his private matters.

"Bunny!" Mimi shouted, lifting a hand and waving.

He snapped his attention to her and lifted a hand. He walked over to the booth they were at and she handed him a brief outline of what was happening before tossing a sash over his head in a pastel blue that had 'Easter Bunny' written in dark block print on it. He rolled his eyes when Hog snorted out a laugh. Before he left he handed Mimi one of his spare chocolates and watched her pop it into her mouth and shiver in delight—much like she had when she had tasted his tea last night. He mingled through the crowd, kneeling down and talking to kids when they needed help finding a plastic egg and taking some semblance of joy in the brief moment he spent with each kid.

Aster's mood at first had been fairly elated and he'd enjoyed being around the kids, but shortly after finishing up with a young girl who was so filled with glee and was so outright happy it reminded Aster of how he'd felt with Jack…which brought on a slew of feelings that dipped Aster's mood. This realization made the entire success of his Easter morning delivery nose dive and his mood dipped right back into that depressed state he had been in last night. He straightened from a young girl and stepped off to the side to gather himself, or in his case attempt to rekindle that hopeless feeling in the center of his chest, leaning up against a tree only briefly before he slumped to the ground in a heap.

His gaze wandered out along the festival that Hog was handling with Mimi—both of them doing a better job than he ever could at the moment. He let out a drawn out sigh, briefly wondering if Mimi might take up the reigns of Easter should he happen to disappear…permanently.

"I believe the most surprising part of seeing you like this is the complete lack of fear." Aster jumped when Pitch's voice sounded out behind him. He glanced over his shoulder, raising a brow and shrugging before Pitch stepped up next to him. "I do believe you and I are going to have a problem soon."

"Listen ya ratbag," Aster stated, trying to feign anger and failing miserably as it came out weak, "Ah don't feel like being bothered by ya."

"And yet here I am to do exactly that." Pitch stated, kneeling down next to him a flicking one of his ears with his fingers. "Now, about Jack—"

"Ah don't want ta hear it!" Aster shouted, lurching to his feet and literally stomping off. It didn't do any good, unfortunately, because Pitch was right there next to him moments later. "Pitch, Ah'm warnin' ya—"

"Why don't you take a deep breath," Pitch held out his hand and halted Aster by placing it firmly on his chest, "and then let me explain to you why your situation with Jack is being blown out of proportion by you _both_."

Aster's hands clenched and then released repeatedly as he ground his teeth to reel in his temper. He shook his head out and then crossed his arm, glaring at the ground.

Pitch stepped up next to him. "_You_ didn't tell Jack a damn thing like we told you too. Your mistake. _Jack_ didn't let you explain the situation at hand and instead chose to fly off before you could get a word in edge wise. _His_ fault. As far as I'm concerned you both are handling this entire situation poorly. _But_ that's not the only thing that's bothering you…is it?"

Aster narrowed his eyes, glancing up to Pitch and then away before he sucked in a sharp breath. "Ah'm feelin' worn out. Pitch…it's been a _hundred_ years and Ah haven't got mah bloody foot in the door yet. Ah'm _still_ getting stuck with shit jobs, Ah _still_ don't have mah flower shop and Ah'm _screwin'_ up the _one_ thing that eclipses all of mah other problems and makes it all bearable."

Pitch tilted his head. "So, you're feeling your age?"

Aster at first cracked a smile before he nodded, the smile fading fast and his ears drooping downward. "Somethin' like that." Aster then looked over to Pitch and raised a brow. "How am Ah supposed to bring forth Hope when Ah'm fresh out?"

"You're not fresh out." Pitch stated with an assurance before he turned Aster around in a circle and held out his hand as if he was holding a platter as he motioned towards Jack. "You just need to pry your own foot from your mouth and _he _needs to learn to stay put and listen. You aren't the first person he's pulled this on. It's excusable to do it to get away from fans and paparazzi, but with family and friends it isn't such a valued trait."

Aster gazed towards Jack, his hackles rising when he saw some bloke dragging Jack around by his hood and noticing that Jack didn't seem bothered by it at all—in fact he was _laughing_ and looked to be having _fun_. Aster's hands clenched and a low growl rumbled from his chest as he felt a flaring of heat followed by a possessive claim. Pitch, though, gripped the back of his neck and tsked him.

"Nope. No tearing Jack's first Human interaction to shreds my friend." Pitch replied, yanking back on Aster again when he tried to step forward. "He's already been mad at you and just barely let it go this morning, don't make it worse."

Aster growled in jealousy, watching how easily Jack swung from the guy's playful grabbing arms as if he'd done it thousands of times before—like a younger brother being grappled by his older brother. Hell it was almost as smooth as when Jack inserted himself into Aster's lap. Of course Jack also seemed to exit that man's arms a hell of a lot smoother than Aster's lap. He watched as Jack seemingly twirled out from under that arm compared to how he'd always manage to stumble out of Aster's lap lacking that fluid grace—which made Aster realize that _maybe_ Jack did that on purpose. Aster shook the thought away, snorting out a short dismissing breath through his nose and then Pitch let go of the back of Aster's neck.

Pitch then cleared his throat, making Aster turn sideways to look at him. "Did I tell you Sera's in town? She's visiting for the dinner we're having tonight, for you by the way since this is your day and all. She can't wait to see you, but I couldn't wait to introduce you to her new pet."

"New…pet?" Aster asked warily, straightening in outright fear as a Border Collie walked up next to Pitch looking obliviously happy of its surroundings until it spotted him. Aster watched as the dog froze those brown eyes landing on him and he gulped when the dog's front crouched downward. "Oh crickey."

A bark sounded out and Aster flew from the hedging, running faster than he should have in his Hareman shape as the dog chased after him followed by a rolling laughter from Pitch after he had shouted: "And _that's_ payback for being such a twat!"

Aster's pulse pounded in his ears as he sprinted through the crowds, whimpering all the way as the Border Collie chased him about. He yelped and pivoted quickly when the dog managed to take a turn before him followed by it chasing him right back into the crowds, which was when he decided he needed to find _someone_ to help him. He glanced over his shoulder, his heart in his throat as he sprinted from the mangy mutt that had all eyes on the overgrown rabbit eared man in front of it. Finally Aster heard the familiar baritone voice of Jack and he yelled for Jack in order to get his attention, followed by him running quickly behind Jack's small frame—nearly tackling Jack from his feet as he used him as a barrier—before he tried to scramble up Jack's frame to get away from the bloody dog that seemed intent on herding, or catching, him.

"Uh…Aster?" Jack asked, glancing over his shoulder and raising a brow. "Could you _stop_ trying to crawl up onto my shoulders?"

"Get the bloody dog away and Ah might consider it!" Aster shouted, yelping when the dog hunched forward, tail wagging excitedly as it barked incessantly. Aster growled towards it, its head tilting with a look of curiosity to its face before it barked—making Aster once again attempt to climb onto Jack's shoulders. "Jack! _Get it away_!"

Jack hunched over, snorting out laughter in uncontrollable hiccups before he knelt down next to the dog and began scratching it behind the ears—cooing to it about being a good girl and chasing the overgrown Kangaroo. Aster took a large step back when the dog was distracted by Jack, heading for North behind Jack and gripping North's arm when he reached him and crawling onto his shoulders soon as he could. North chuckled below him before Aster saw Seraphina walk forward with Pitch, calling for the Border Collie. Aster glared at the beast, then pitted his glare towards Pitch who was grinning like the devil himself.

"Ya prick!" Aster shouted at Pitch, who merely crossed his arms and chuckled.

"I somehow knew you'd run to Jack—and if not Jack then North." Pitch replied with a snicker. "Now, we're heading home for the time being to start dinner preparations." Aster watched warily from his perch on North's shoulders before he climbed down, acting as if he _hadn't_ just had his wits scared out of him, followed by him leaning back when Pitch stepped forward and threatened: "You and Jack _fix_ whatever it is your fighting about now or I'll send Susie after your arse again and this time I'll _let _her bite your tail off."

Aster gulped, taking a big step away from Pitch who turned on his heel after grabbing North's arm and tugged. Aster then watched as North grabbed Tooth followed by Tooth giving a wary smile towards Aster before she gently gripped Jack's shoulder to show her support. Aster sighed out in relief as he watched the dog disappear along with his friends, then directed his gaze to Jack—blushing from embarrassment as he watched that smirk crawl up Jack's features.

Aster cleared his throat, nodding towards Jack. "Hi."

Jack smiled, nodding in return. "Hi. Do you always act like a damsel in distress around dogs? And will I always have to be your hero?"

Aster glared at Jack, smirking briefly before he realized it was time to once again talk to Jack. Aster fidgeted with his sash for a moment before he tilted his head towards the tree he had just been slumped under before Pitch had pushed him into action, using one of his greater fears of dogs to do so. He narrowed his gaze on the tree, realizing it was the very one he and Jack initially started under.

He wondered if it was going to be the spot where they ended as well.

"Jack…can Ah talk ta ya?" Aster asked, beginning to realize he was sounding like a broken record. "Ah mean…if ya don't want ta that's fine—"

Aster almost flinched away from Jack's hand when he grasped Aster's. Aster gave himself a pat on the back for resisting that urge to flinch away. He led Jack off towards the tree this all began under, ignoring how he felt another wave of heat surround him and he shuddered briefly before he halted when Jack did under the _same_ tree. Whether they ended up there subconsciously, on purpose or on accident, Aster would never know.

"Listen…Jack…Ah'm sorry." He started, sucking in a sharp breath and expelling it in a rush. "Ah made a total arse of mahself and Ah…well Ah just plain _should_ have told ya about Angelique. Ah should have told ya the second she moved into the boardinghouse and Ah should have told ya about her offer because ya deserved ta know about it. Ah want ya ta know it was always goin' ta be a firm 'no' from me—with or without ya in the picture." Aster began, wanting to reach out and hug Jack to his chest but refrained from doing so. "Ah'm sorry Ah never told ya about her or the offer. Ah let the embarrassment of that entire situation get the better of me and due ta how stubborn Ah am Ah didn't believe ya would even understand, even when ya outright told me ya were interested in helpin' durin' that time. Ah just…want ya ta know that Ah'm sorry, mate. Ah didn't…Ah didn't mean ta make a heel of mahself. Ah…Ah didn't consider that ya might be _open_ ta everything that makes up me—even though yer so understanding towards me. Ah just…Ah'm tryin', Ah really am, but Ah can't quite seem ta stop messin' up 'round ya."

Jack raised a brow, a smile quirking across his lips. "Are you actually apologizing to me?"

Aster huffed an indignant breath, his temper flaring. "Yes Ah'm bloody well apologizing!"

Jack grinned briefly before he sucked in a sharp breath. "I…I need to apologize too. I shouldn't have just taken off on you. I should have stayed and let you explain what happened and _why_ Angelique was there—by the way have you talked to Mimi? She's pretty cool." Aster nodded, praying he wasn't going to get into trouble for affirming that he _had_ spoken to Mimi—it would seem Jack didn't mind and he continued on. "I'm honestly trying too, Aster, but…it's just so _easy_ to fly off and spend time thinking alone. I've been doing it for so long now that it's become a habit. Whenever something bothers me I feel the need to separate myself from whatever's bothering me so I can think clearly."

Aster nodded, understanding that train of thought all too well. He then felt that familiar wave of heat and pushed it back; reminding him that he had something else to talk to Jack about. "But…Ah'm also—Ah _want_ ta talk ta ya about what ya might be signin' up fer…if we're still…"

Aster cleared his throat after tailing off, glancing away and stiffening in surprise when Jack wrapped his arms around him before he relaxed and hugged him right back. His relieved breath shuddered out of his mouth and he tugged Jack flush against him, dipping his nose into that mass of snow white hair and taking a heady sniff. He felt relief wash through him and kept his touch light, just in case he wasn't out of the woods just yet.

"Jack…Ah'm not mahself during Mating Season." Aster said into the mass of Jack's hair, shaking off that familiar growing heat when it tried to rear its ugly head again from Jack's scent invading his nostrils with every breath.

"By which you mean…?" Jack asked, pulling back and looking to his eyes.

"Ah'm rough—more so than Ah was last time and this time Ah won't take yer needs into account because Ah'll feel like _Ah'll_ know what's best fer us. Ah stand a chance of hurtin' ya with how rough Ah get—ya can ask North yerself. Ah almost sent him ta the hospital, hell he _should_ have gone ta the hospital—he was just too stubborn ta go." Aster murmured, leaning forward and pressing his forehead against Jack's. "Ah won't stop tryin' ta mark ya and Ah won't _stop_ till Ah do, or the rut finally passes. Ya'll _have_ ta fight me off ya when ya need a break—and ya'll _need_ a break, Ah can assure ya of that." With that warning Aster's hand trailed along Jack's back to one of his ass cheeks and he groped it, squeezing it with a heady look to his eyes before he forced himself to let go and take a step back as his rut tried to surface early due to Jack's presence and the bit of jealousy he'd felt earlier as he had watched Jack's friend tug him around. "Ah'm…Ah'm already feeling it, Jack. Ya haven't got much time ta decide if yer still interested or not, but Ah'm lettin' ya know ya _need_ ta be prepared ta fight me off ya—and ya have ta use all yer little tricks ta do so. Ah'm _not_ going ta be the Aster ya know and Ah'll sound out of mah bloody mind—but most of all ya _have_ ta keep me from markin' ya."

Jack nodded, his blue eyes wide before he stepped back towards him again. "Are you going to survive today?"

Aster nodded, even if he wasn't actually sure if he would or not. Having watched Jack, his _boyfriend_ and potential _Mate_, get manhandled by someone _other_ than him had pushed his want to mate with Jack in particular to the forefront. He _believed_ he could make it through the day, but he hoped Jack's friend didn't push him too much—and taking into account his previous mistakes he chose to _voice_ this concern.

"Jack, that guy that was dragging ya around? He can't do that right now." Aster crossed his arms, huffing out a hot breath of air. "Even without the rut beginning ta peek Ah would be jealous of 'im doin' that ta ya. But with the rut already showing up early Ah wanted ta do nothing more than tear his bloody arms off fer touchin' ya. Best let 'im know yer boyfriend is on edge, just so Ah don't end up hurtin' 'im." Aster quirked a sad smile. "Ah'm a _little_ possessive of mah potential partner."

Jack snickered, stepping forward and coaxing Aster's arms from their crossed position and sighing. "I'll let him know—and thanks for telling me. I wondered why I had a sense of dread surrounding me this afternoon."

Aster chuckled; grabbing Jack up into his arms again and feeling relief wash through him. He'd never felt this much relief before. Jack stepped back and took Aster's hand, leading him from the hedge and letting go just in time for the damn paparazzi to swoop down on him and ask him a slew of questions soon as they got further into the festival. Aster's ear swiveled towards the crowd when he briefly split from Jack to check on Hog and Mimi hearing the words, 'Mystery boyfriend' and laughing. Eventually he watched Jack manage to pry himself from the ever insistent mass of inquisitive individuals and he headed back over to Aster with the very man who had been tugging on him earlier next to him.

"Jamie, this is Aster—my boyfriend I told you to be cautious around at the moment. Aster, meet the first Human I ever talked to after three hundred years of nothing—Jamie." Jack stated, introducing Aster to the man who had been yanking him around by the hood of his jacket earlier today.

Aster couldn't help the growl that crawled up his throat when he grudgingly held out his hand. Jack glared at Aster before he sighed, shaking his head. Jamie's hand met his and Aster gripped that appendage tightly, trying his best to keep from yanking the bloody thing from its socket before Jack moved and made him release his grip.

Jack looped around the back of the tables and gripped Aster's drooped back ear. Jack used that ear to pull him behind the tent and said sharply: "Aster, Jamie isn't out to steal me. Relax."

Aster nodded, clenching his jaw in worry even though Jack had just tried to assure him that he wasn't going anywhere. Even so with the various problems they'd been having of late he found it difficult to relax, though—especially with the knowledge that the man had had his hands practically all over Jack earlier that day. Aster shot forward and grabbed Jack, pulling him to his chest and muttered a quick apology before he ran the underside of his jaw along Jack's head—who sniggered below him. Aster let Jack withdraw, but only _after_ sniffing him to make sure his scent was on him. Aster nodded, when he smelled himself all over Jack—knowing full well Jamie wouldn't be able to smell it but feeling all the better regardless.

Aster, this time, led Jack from the back of the tent and the festival concluded without a hitch.

* * *

We've got 1 more full Chapter (22), before the short 'final' Chapter 23.


	22. Chapter 22

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Rise of the Guardians, yadda, yadda, yadda...

**A/N**: Double posting Chapters again, leave reviews on Chapter 23 please :) Thank you darlings.

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Chapter 22: An Early Present and an Accident

Jack dragged Aster through the house after dinner—which was strenuous on Aster since he felt the need to _always_ make sure Jamie knew of his claim over Jack—and spent an hour with Jack teasing him _mercilessly_ about his want to keep as far away from the backyard, which contained that damn dog, as possible. When Aster had his fill he shoved Jack off with a playful laugh and flopped onto the sectional of the couch, letting his breath hiss out as he let a wide yawn forth. Today's events had finally hit him and he was beginning to feel tired—the _sleepy _kind of tired over the mental tired. He let his eyes droop along with letting out another yawn.

He felt Jack's cool fingers on his ears and then he felt those fingers massage them and scratch at the base of each ear. He ground his teeth in a purr and rubbed his head into the couch, ever aware of that growing heat that just waited on the sidelines. He sighed, wishing he could enjoy the ear scratching more than he currently was able too thanks to the ever prevalent rut on the sidelines. It was why he reached up a hand and halted Jack's ministrations, even though he loved to have Jack rub and scratch his ears. He felt the cushion next to him sink, followed by the chilly form of Jack taking up the spot next to him. He cracked an eye when Jack tugged one of the pillows out from behind his back followed shortly by him laying it next to his thigh. Aster, taking the hint and _loving_ it, scooted closer to Jack and settled his head onto the pillow.

"Don't let me sleep fer long." He murmured.

"You can sleep for a couple of hours. I have someplace I need to be tonight but I also need to show you something too." Jack stated, leaning forward and pressing his lips to Aster's temple. "But you _need_ a power nap."

Aster nodded, followed quickly after by nodding off for a few hours before he was nudged awake. As Aster sat up in order to wake up he saw Jack walk off saying he needed to go grab his phone from his bedroom. Aster stretched, letting loose another yawn and once again fighting back that persistent heat that kept badgering him. He was seconds from standing when Jack put his hands on his shoulders and sat him back down. Aster tilted his head back and raised a brow to Jack. Jack nudged his head back forward and then slipped a blind fold over his eyes.

"Jack…what're ya doin' puttin' a bloody blindfold on me?" Aster asked with a hint of irritability to his voice.

"Just relax would you? It's a _surprise_ for a reason." Jack replied with an exasperated tone, the breath from him saying this lacing itself over Aster's ears and making him shudder at that feeling. He then felt Jack's lips caress his cheek before he said, "Now try not to panic because you're getting into the car with me."

Aster gulped, the initial threat of the car helping to push back that ever growing heat of his rut—which had just amplified all the more from today's stressful meal that had Aster feeling as if he had to guard Jack all afternoon from Jamie. He swallowed nervously and nodded, allowing Jack to lead him through the darkness that was the thick blindfold that he had placed over Aster's eyes. Aster found the seatbelt and buckled himself in, immediately gripping it and the armrest as he pressed himself back into the seat.

It wasn't a very long drive and the blindfold had heightened his other senses to the point where he was picking up a wide variety of smells that belonged to people in particular in accompaniment with the sure smell of diesel fumes—he had a feeling he knew where he was, even without the noise that shortly surrounded him as Jack dragged him through what sounded like a parking garage followed by the busy sounds of a building that held cash registers. Aster halted, reaching for his blindfold and growling dangerously towards Jack when he slapped his hand away.

"Jack, Ah already know where we are." Aster told him sharply. "There's no hidin' the unmistakable smell of the bloody mall." He then winced when he picked up that sure deep fried smell of the food court. "Especially not when Ah can smell the food court."

Jack sounded as if he pouted from next to him as he said, "What…how'd you even know we were here?"

Aster sighed. "Jack, ya covered mah eyes. That doesn't do much good when Ah got a pair of sonar dishes on mah head along with a nose stronger than a bloody dog's."

"Oh…right…Well I guess I know to plug your ears and nose next time. But keep the blindfold on and act surprised." Jack replied with a snicker.

Aster rolled his eyes under the blindfold and nodded, following behind Jack without question and stopping when he felt Jack halt. He heard Jack step behind him and then he felt Jack's nimble fingers worrying the knot at the back of his head free before he blinked and stared bleary eyes at the shop in front of him. He raised a brow at the 'Sold' sign on the front window and turned to Jack with an inquisitive look.

"Ya brought me ta the mall ta show me that the store Ah happened ta like was sold?" Aster asked, genuinely curious.

Jack barked out a laugh. "No, I brought you to the mall to show you the store I bought you for your birthday, even if it _is_ a week early."

Aster watched as Jack stepped around him to present the store like he was showing off a car on a game show. Aster's breath caught and his jaw dropped as he looked at the store he'd wanted to purchase, but hadn't had the money too. Jack then waved someone over to them and that person presented Aster with a clipboard full of paperwork then was introduced to the real estate agent who had been trying to sell the location. Aster blinked, registering what was going on but unsure how to react aside from listening to Jack direct him through the process. Before he blinked the deed to the building along with his copy of the lease and payment agreement was slapped in his hand along with the key to the building. Aster was gob smacked.

"Well?" Jack asked from his side, grabbing up his arm and hugging it to his chest as he bounced excitedly next to Aster. "Good birthday present?"

"Jack…mate…ya didn't have ta…ya _shouldn't_ have…" He murmured, turning to see Jack's beaming face next to him.

He was frozen momentarily from surprise before he leaned down and grappled Jack to his chest, putting everything he was feeling into the hug he gave to him and then laying a heady, toe curling, kiss to Jack's lips. He lowered Jack to his feet and grinned, glancing to Jack and then the flower shop.

"North and Tooth said they'll pay for the first five months of rent for their gifts and I'll help you in the actual store when I have the time so that you can keep working as a waiter if you want some supplemental income." Jack stated. "As for Pitch and Sandy, I think they said they're getting you something separately—but I don't have a clue about what it could be."

Aster grinned, cuddling Jack into his side again and smiling unabashedly. "C'mon, let's see the inside."

"What're you going to name it?" Jack asked curiously.

"Flowers of Hope." Aster stated, having picked the name out years ago. He stepped into the shop, feeling it out and marveling at how perfect it felt without anything inside of it and realizing how it was going to fit like a glove soon as he got the inside fixed up. He stepped further into it, pointing towards the back counter. "The register can go there, then along the walls Ah'll have bouquets that are pre-arranged. The center of the shop will be buckets of mah flowers ta which people can have me arrange them the way they'd like. Then here!" Aster covered the entire store in six long strides, slapping his hands on the small countertop he had pointed to earlier near the back of the store and motioning to the area behind. "Ah'll have mah chocolates lined up along this shelf 'ere."

Jack smiled. "Sounds good."

Aster rushed back to Jack, he picked Jack up and twirled him through the air in a quick circle. "Jacky, mate…Ya shouldn't have—but thank ya."

Aster chuckled elatedly. He then set Jack onto his feet, his hands grazing along Jack's back and gripping Jack's frame to him as he once again leaned forward to give him a heated kiss as thanks.

"You're welcome." Jack replied after breaking away, and then got a big cocky grin on his face as he raised a brow. "How about we _christen_ the shop?"

Aster shivered at the image and feeling that warmth surround him before he shook his head sharply. "Not with mah rut comin'." He ran his nose over Jack's, licking out a tongue and stepping back. "Maybe later. But if ya want we can head ta yer home or the Warren fer a few hours of privacy before ya have ta go ta another interview."

Jack hummed his agreement, looping his arms around Aster's neck and once again laying his lips against Aster's. "Let's go to my place. It'll make it so I can wait till the very tail end and we've only got about two hours."

"A'right." Aster murmured, taking Jack's hand without the fear of any paparazzi following them around thanks to his nifty disguise.

They jumped back into the car and drove back to Tooth's home, relieved to know they had the entire place to themselves for at least an hour. However, Aster still hadn't taken the time to really _recover_ from Easter morning and staying up all night—even _with_ a power nap. It wasn't long into watching the drone of evening time TV before Aster was falling asleep, his head tilting over the back of the couch and making him snap awake when it lulled back sharply.

Jack laughed, closing the book he held—the one that held tidbits of Aster's species in it—and turning in Aster's lap. "Want to go to bed?"

Aster yawned, rubbing his face and sighing in defeat. "Ah think that might be best fer me. Ah know ya wanted ta spend time together but Ah'm bushed."

Jack nodded, crawling from Aster's lap carefully for once and then tugging him up from the couch. Aster followed behind Jack, pressing himself up against Jack's back as he halted at his door and giving his head another chinning—but this time in his proper form. Jack rolled his eyes, escorting Aster into his bedroom and laughing as Aster pulled of the clothes he had worn—Aster ignoring his normally compulsive need to fold his clothing and choosing to leave them in piles on the floor—as he began scratching the various locations on his body where the fur had been disrupted from the clothing or felt pressed down forcefully from the pressure of the clothing. He headed for the bed, halting when Jack called his name and turning to see Jack digging through a dresser for a shirt.

"So Aster, I was going to ask why you're so anxious about marking me." Jack asked, glancing over his shoulder as he dug through the drawer.

Aster glanced to him in return, but only when Jack's eyes had lifted from their search and their eyes met briefly in the mirror. He cleared his throat, deciding to be outright honest with Jack as he said: "Ah don't want ta force ya into something with me that ya don't want. Ah told ya—its marriage fer mah species and yer stuck together till one or both of ya die." Aster's ears drooped a little as he then added, "Ah also still can't stand the idea of hurtin' ya."

Jack shrugged. "Don't worry about hurting me." Jack sent him a quick grin and lifted a hand to wave it off for later as he added, "I can also think of _worse_ people to be stuck with forever and _you_ aren't one of them. So it's fine by me if you happen to mark me even if it's by accident."

Aster frowned. "Ah'll still feel like Ah forced ya into it."

Jack glanced up at him again and smiled lightly. "But you didn't. I'm serious Aster. I wouldn't be forced into anything I didn't already want."

Aster froze hearing that, his eyes going wide as disbelief set in. "Jacky…we haven't even dated that long. No offense, mate, but that's a _very_ stupid thing ta commit too with such little time."

Jack shrugged. "Think about this. You're older than the Earth; I'm over three hundred even if I _say_ I'm thereabouts…why wouldn't I jump at a chance that feels right? Even _with_ the fights we have. Hell we already act like a married couple."

Aster shook his head. "Jacky, mate can we table this fer later. Ah'm—"

Aster froze, stepping forward and narrowing his gaze at the bag of sand within the confines of Jack's drawer.

"Jacky, why've ya got a bag of sand in yer drawer?" Aster asked, stepping up behind Jack and looping his right arm around his waist as he plucked the bag from his dresser.

Jack shrugged, glancing over to it. "Sandy gave it to me a _long_ time ago. I don't need it now, of course, but…" Jack sucked in a sharp breath here and then said: "I needed it for when Jamie and I decided to break up…"

Aster froze, his paw tightening on the bag of sand as he heard this and his ears shooting upwards. "Ya…ya were _datin_'?" Aster huffed out a breath, turning from Jack when he felt that possessive heat encase him again with that bit of information—the bag of sand gripped tightly in his paw, clenching and unclenching in an attempt to deter his flaring anger that was partly caused by his growing rut. "Why didn't ya tell me that yer _ex_ was touchin' ya like that?!" Aster growled, his heart rate picking up as a possessive anger shot through him. He turned to Jack and realized that the knowledge of this particular piece of information was going to drive him to his rut early as the heat around him grew in intensity. "Jack—" He gasped in a breath, feeling his rut smack into him like a Mac truck and knock him breathless along with causing his knees to nearly buckle. "Jack if ya want ta go ta that interview ya better go now—otherwise yer arse is going ta be tied up fer awhile."

Jack's eyes widened as they gazed towards Aster's and he nodded, grabbing his clothes and piling them into his arms in understanding as Aster stumbled backwards to put distance between them, catching his hind foot on a piece of his own clothing that he had discarded onto the floor. Aster felt his weight shift as he fell over, losing his grip on the bag of sand from surprise and barely seeing it fly upwards. As soon he landed right on his furry tailed rump his head shot to the bag of sand that was still closed in the air and watched as it reached it's peeking arch and began a downward descent. At first, he panicked, then he realized that the bag—on its way down—was still closed by the loosely tied knots that kept the contents within from spilling. He realized he was going to be fine with that bit of information and he sent an embarrassed smile towards Jack for tripping over his own clothes before he watched Jack's blue eyes change from glittering with humor to being laced with horror.

* * *

Guys, grab your towels and **Don't Panic** (references ho!).

Responses:

To **Shanatic**: I have to admit I really want to continue a few more jealous bits for Bunny and I'm plotting a few out now for the next bit.

To **Queenofcrack97**: Be happy, now have mixed feelings from the above and the following lol.

To **Ultravioletlex**: I'm scared of making him too possessive honestly. I've dated countless possessive peeps in my time and it gets really scarily overbearing :(

To **AvelynnLoverxX**: Only two Chapters (asterisk at least in _this_ bit).

To **Good Witch of Babble**: In _this_ story, yea Mating Season is for that 'marriage'. Also to the second part I answered it above for you, and you probably read it :) Also I see you found me on the other website too LOL. Thanks for stalking me on there as well ;D (at least I hope that was you).

To **Orion'sLover**: It's really not that stellar of a fic haha. I cranked it out too fast I feel and it kinda feels sloppy. This segment of the story only has a couple Chapters left. But now there's a problem that I didn't foresee that made me glad I made a cutting point else you guys would be waiting again for an unforeseen amount of time again.

To **Black-Luna**: Thank you. Hearing that from a reviewer assures me that my knit picking of that last Chapter was passable lol.

To **LadyLombax**: I had to Google what a Bilby was and then I squeed because it's a mouse-looking critter that's just adorable XD. Also yey my hack attempt at an Australian accent has been okayed! Also did you poke me with a stick to make me release these Chapters tonight? Or was that **Shanatic** again?

To **ShaDow Empire**: I had a solid snake moment (!) when you said that and I realized someone may have caught onto the hints I left (cough).

Finally to **yey**: Nope, no chance of getting that $400 back but I have to be honest she can keep it if it means never seeing her again (it _was_ that bad). Also yet another person who caught my hints. Bravo.


	23. Chapter 23 - Epilogue

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Rise of the Guardians, yadda, yadda, yadda...

**A/N** at bottom - **Please** read it!

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Chapter 23: Epilogue

Jack watched in horror as the bag of sand spilled opened on its way down towards Aster's head and the sand within sprinkled itself on Aster—square in the face, knocking him out cold. Jack had watched Aster's once sturdy form slump back into a boneless heap in seconds. Jack immediately blamed himself and cursed the fact that he hadn't thought of a better time to mention his and Jamie's past relationship to Aster—especially when he _knew _Aster was already on edge from his oncoming rut. Jack added into that guilt by knowing that he hadn't properly tied the knot on the bag of sand either—making it perfectly within the realm of possibilities for the damn thing to open, just as it had, and sprinkle onto the seemingly ever unlucky Aster. Jack's chest clenched in worry and he scolded himself for not being wiser about bringing up his past with Jamie before he shook his head and focused.

At first he panicked before he realized the longer he waited the harder it was going to be to pull Aster from his dreamland as the sand's magic soothed Aster into a lulling sleep with the promise of pleasant dreams. Jack threw his clothes up into the air and called up a gust of cold wind to rush downstairs to get his phone from the coffee table, needing to call _someone _since they had all since left the house. As he made his way downstairs he scrolled through his evening's memories and tried to remember just who Sandy had gone with. When he drew up a blank Jack did the only thing he could think of. He called up Pitch, who he _swore _Sandy had gone with and hoped that Sandy was with him—not to mention his fear that Pitch might not pick up for some important reason as he set away to calling him. Luckily on the third ring Pitch's voice sounded out.

"What are you two fighting about now?" He snapped, irritable because he'd been the one who had spent the last few months trying to soothe—and usually succeeding at doing so—Jack's confusion based anger towards Aster's habits.

"Aster found Sandy's sand in my drawer and he picked it up to ask about it but then we talked about how Jamie and I use to date and then his rut hit him and then he tripped and then the sand landed on him and now he's out like a light and I'm so scared that he's not going to wake back up!" Jack gasped out, the entire series of events spilling from his mouth and _literally_ running into one another as they spilled forth. "What do I do?!"

"Firstly, relax. You're saying he just _now_ went under?" Pitch asked, Jack knowing he had skipped the rest for later—like a clarification of the _how_ of how Aster even got knocked out in the first place.

"Yes!" Jack whimpered out a cry. "Help! I don't want him to get hurt! Is Sandy with you?!"

"Alright, Jack—it's fine. We're on our way back home now and Sandy's here. He might be able to pull Aster from his sleep before he becomes too engrossed into it. Just get him flat on his back, make sure he's breathing and if he is breathing make sure to open his airway." Pitch instructed before hanging up with a muttered, "These two require constant bloody babysit—"

Jack rushed back up the stairs, tossing his phone onto his dresser and kneeling next to Aster. He heaved Aster's form into a better position and tilted Aster's head back, a tear rolling down his cheek before he laughed lightly to relieve some of his worry.

"Geez Kangaroo, for someone with such big rabbit's feet you sure have a lot of bad luck." Jack murmured, sucking in a hiccupping breath and swallowing past the worry in his throat as he heard the front door open. "Up here!"

Jack watched as Sandy rushed into the room, immediately setting away to using his magic on Aster with one hand while gathering the leftover bits into the bag with the other. Jack stayed where he was until he felt Pitch's hand on his shoulder. Jack stood, unwillingly, as Pitch urged him to get up and go to his interview.

"But—" Jack began, letting his worry cut through.

"He'll be fine Jack." Pitch assured even if his face didn't quite seem to show that belief to it. "Sandy will pry him from his dream world, but until then _you_ have a life to go live."

Jack nodded, leaving the room after grabbing up his clothes. Pitch turned to Sandy, raising a silent brow in question towards him who shrugged—a look of sympathy in his face that told Pitch there might not be a chance of pulling Aster from his dream.

"We just need to keep having hope." Pitch murmured, to which Sandy smiled broadly and nodded enthusiastically—seeming to attack Aster's sleeping form with more gusto than he had before. Pitch's eyes widened as he heard Aster groan already—a good first sign that he was recovering, even if it would take awhile before he was dragged from the dreamland. "Perhaps a nightmare will wake him up?"

Sandy looked worried at first before he nodded, letting Pitch know his magic might very well be needed as well with a single wavering look.

To Be Continued…

* * *

**_Important for the viewers, please read:_**

**So here's why I'm cutting it here**:

**A)** As you read, Aster got his flower shop and he has Jack once again and as you can assume he'll be quitting his job at the steakhouse due to finally obtaining his flower shop, so he is no longer _Waiting on a Dream, _which is why I'll be continuing this story soon under the name _Flowers of Hope (_unless I think of something better).

**B)** I'm undecided if I want to do Mating Season or not. So I may just want to skip it and proceed forward after they wake Aster up and give a good healthy portion of time in order to skip Mating Season, especially since my new editor is also having email problems (we're trying to find a solution) and this is another reason to why I'm hesitant to do Mating Season (no editor), also another reason **_lays in the fact that I can't be any more doubtful of my skills at writing it if I tried_****. **So there's some honesty for you guys from me.

**C)** I _**am**__, _regardless of the Mating Season dilemma,continuing this story - but it's going to take time for me to plot things out and then write it because I have a lot of ideas I tossed aside on this one that I actually _want_ to get into in the next bit.

**And lastly**: I have a request I need to fill from a very nice viewer who PMed me with a prompt that I need to work on (I apparently do requests…lol – guess if you ask nice enough I comply) since she's been waiting for a _long_ time now for that I feel obligated to get it out within the next week or two (that and it's good practice). I'm also getting into the really good bits of Intricate Kingdoms as well (I am so le excited about that story at the moment – it's disgustingly fun to write lol) and I _really_ need to write a few chapters on Manny's at some point as well.

So at the moment, I'm fairly stacked with busy bidness.

**_If you have anything you want to see in the next story state it in your review so I can work it into my plot_****. **

-This is your time to speak up again, don't waste it :) The cut off point for this is **November 24th**, so you've got about 2 weeks there to think it through (also feel free to PM me if you would rather put your vote in that way, but expect a response from me to confirm your idea or one that is me trying to figure out what exactly you want if its ambiguous - then I'll confirm it lol).

Till I get crap sorted this version of Jack and Aster are awaiting on the sidelines for when I have some spare time :) and yes they're snogging (lol).

Cheeks.


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